Once Upon A Hunger Game
by fictionfrek101
Summary: When Snow White and her brother are both reaped, her best friend James volunteers. But for Snow to survive she must trust her reluctant escort Graham, odd mentor Rumplestiltskin, eccentric stylist Emma and James whose feelings are more than friendship.
1. Chapter 1

So this story is going to very much follow the first book in the Hunger Games series, but it there will be changes to what order the people die and what District they belong to. I will also put in some new events and character histories to change it so that it's not just Snow White saying, doing and living Katniss' life but rather if Snow White was in the Hunger Games herself.

Secondly, at this point in time I do not know if I will be doing a Once Upon a Time version sequel to Catching Fire and Mockingjay. We will simply have to see what happens in the story and on Once Upon a Time (because I've used pretty much every character they've already shown, so I need some more for sequels).

Also know that this story was written after episode 1x07 (the one where Graham dies) so all characters and events will come from episodes 1x01-1x07. As later episodes air, I may add new characters and/or events and use names from rumours about the show (like Snow's father or Grumpy's potential love interest) but it's just to fill out roles.

I've also decided that since probably everyone who is reading this story has read _The Hunger Games_, I'm going to skip explaining some things like what a mockingjay or tessera is.

Finally each chapter will be in a character's perspective so make sure you read whose it is (for the most part it will be either Snow or James but there is plans for other characters). As well in the author's note I will post which of their outfits they are wearing because I apparently suck at describing clothing so I'll list a vague description of the outfit and then which episode it's in.

For Snow in this chapter I don't have an outfit in mind (because I ran out of useable ones) but for James picture him exactly how he looked as a shepherd in _The Shepherd_, literally down to the hair.

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game <span>

_Chapter 1_

Snow's POV

* * *

><p>The house I wake up in is not the house I call my own, this will be my third year living in another's home, eating another's food, keeping another's sheep. I sleep in one of their three bedrooms, my twelve year old little brother Henry curled up next to me. I feel guilty for having to move and wake him up, but it's how I make my keep around here, even if Ruth says I don't have to do anything. Deep down that she struggles to take care of all four of us, especially since what's happened in the last year.<p>

I move and so does Henry.

"What's going on?" he sleepily asks.

"Just go back to sleep," I stroke his hair and kiss him on the forehead as he settles back down.

I slip out into the kitchen and find an overturned bowl sitting on the counter. Underneath is an apple, a slice of bread, a square of sheep cheese and a strip of sheep jerky. Breakfast; Ruth must be up. Glancing backward I realise that her bedroom door is still closed. Smiling as I gather my breakfast, I know this could only mean one thing.

I grab my lambskin shoulder bag and head out the door. Outside I find a scruffy long haired blonde herding a lamb into the pen.

"Ah!" he locked the gate of the pen, "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Considering you do that every time a sheep gets out, yep, I did see that coming," I smirk.

"Morning Snow," he rolls his eyes.

"Morning James. You ready to go?" I ask as he secures the gate before we go.

"Oh, I was born ready," he says as we head to the shed.

I laugh as we unlock the door, "Don't so excited, I already got the wares yesterday, we're only trading today."

"Well, last night I told mother where we were going," we each grab a bow, quiver of arrows and sword belt.

I secure my sword belt, "What'd she say?"

"Not to be late for the reaping," he replied.

"Oh, I forgot," I say bitterly. "Happy Hunger Games."

James gives a half smile/half grimace as we set off, "May the odds be _ever_ in your favour."

I smile, and then I remember that I had forgotten to do something. Reaching into my bag, I withdraw a glass heart shaped necklace with a mockingjay raised on its front. It's filled with dust.

I place it around my neck when James looks at me, "I thought you weren't the jewelry type. What's that around your neck?"

Looking away, I brush off the question, "Don't worry about it."

But before I can stop him, he's swiped the necklace from around my neck. Damn! I forgot how quick he could be.

"Careful!" I exclaim as he dangles it in front of me, "It's a weapon."

"Dust?" he laughs, "What kind of weapon is dust?"

"Fairy dust."

He frowns, "I thought that was a good thing?"

"When it comes from a good fairy. This stuff?" I make a grab for it but he puts it around his neck. "Is deadly. It transforms the most fearsome of adversaries into a form that's easily squashed."

He looks thoughtful, "Then why didn't you use it on your victims?"

"Cause they're not worth it," I may steal from the folks from the upper Districts who decide to flaunt their wealth in front of we lower Districts, but I don't want to kill them. I don't want to kill anyone. "It's very hard to come by. I'm saving it in case-"

"In case?"

"It's a dangerous job," I sigh. "Look pay attention, you need to remember the landmarks in case the worst happens."

"What might happen?" he asks, although he regrets it as he realises the answer.

"You know what," I can't look him in the eye; it's a sensitive topic for him even more than it is for me.

"In case you're reaped," he sighs and looks the other way.

"Look, I'm sorry," I frown, "I didn't mean to bring up memories about David-"

"So how much longer until we're there?" he changes the topic. Sheesh, you'd think after a year he'd at least be able to stand me saying his name.

"Right," I nod. "The trolls are just beyond the next ridge. We need to be careful."

"What?" he scoffs. "Of trolls?"

I laugh, "You've clearly never met one."

He frowns, "Aren't they just little people?"

I get it, "You're thinking of dwarves. Show a little respect. They'll cut your hand off sooner than they'll shake it."

"Well when I'm through with those trolls, they'll wish you never brought me to them."

"You won't be saying a thing to them. I'm the one who's dealing with them. You're just learning the ropes."

"Well we have to be back in time or we're going to be in big trouble," he reminds.

"You don't have to say that twice," I roll my eyes despite the fact that it _was_ the second time he had said it. "Besides I'm not going to miss it, it's the first year Henry is eligible. I think he's quite frightened after seeing what happened last year."

James looks awkward, we just barely got off the topic of David and now I brought him up again.

"So, how do you think the trolls will like me?" he asks changing the topic.

"As long as you stand still, do what I say and keep quiet, they'll be fine with you. Although they might not like this scruff," I tousle the blonde matt.

"Really?" he flattens down the scruff.

"Well I don't," I confess. I come to a halt; it's an old stone bridge hanging above what seems like an endless chasm. "We're here. Follow me and keep quiet."

He looks around the noticeably empty bridge, "Where are they?"

"Oh, they're here," I reach into my bags and pull out my latest collection of wares, mostly jewels but some cloth and leather items too. Placing the bag on the edge of the bridge, I take a step back and wait. After a few moments several trolls then climb up the side of the bridge and confront us.

"It's fine," I tell my startled shepherd companion, "I know them."

"What are you doing?" the leader glowered at me, "I thought we agreed we would never do business with you if you brought anyone with you."

"He's no one," I try to assure him.

"I'm not talking in front of him." He exclaims gesturing to James, "Who is this guy?"

"It's alright, he's with me," I explain, James looks nervous but he thankfully doesn't say a word.

"Oh, that's good. With you." The Troll mocks me, "That makes it all fine."

I try to carry on as if nothing happened, "Look, I want to sell you my wares."

"Who is he?" The Troll yells.

"I said don't worry about it!" I exclaim. "Look, I brought him so that if I get reaped today, my family can still trade with you and be taken care of."

The Head Troll laughs, "Oh, the Hunger Games. May the odds be _ever_ in your favor."

"I'll give you it at half the regular rate, ok?" I offer, praying that they take the deal even though it means we'll have to stretch some meals for the next few weeks.

After a moment of thought, the Head Troll nods to another troll. The other troll takes the pouch from the bridge and goes to give the gold to James. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," James says. "We appreciate the help."

My jaw drops. He just ruined everything! I knew I shouldn't have brought him!

The Head Troll snatches the gold back, "He's too eager! This is a setup!"

"It's not!" I exclaim.

"He's a Capitol!" The Troll yells.

I resist the urge to laugh, James a Capitol? But there's no time because I'm suddenly grabbed by the Head Troll.

"Let her go!" James draws his sword, but he's grabbed by a pair of trolls and shoved against the bridge.

"No! You can trust me," I try to diffuse the situation. "Look, you can trust me. If I wanted to set you up, I would have done it the first time."

"The time for dealing is done," he laughs. "Search him!"

One of the trolls checks James and pats him down as the other searches our bags. The troll pauses at the necklace of fairy dust and then throws it aside. The troll, finding nothing, they throw me next to James and go even further into the bag. But I know they'll find nothing, and as I see the fear in James' eyes, I know he does too.

"I guess the only thing we have is her. You'll be wanted by the Capitol when they hear how much you've stolen from them." The Head Troll then ordered, "Take her."

I struggle but the three Trolls overpower me when suddenly I'm let go. I fall onto the ground and look up. James had picked up his sword off the ground and attacked the trolls causing my release.

"Go!" he yells as he grabs my hand and pulls me up, "I'm right behind you."

I grab our things, necklace included, and then run, not very fast, mind you, I am holding gold, jewels, fairy dust, two bags, two bows, two full quivers and have a sword dangling off my belt.

"Follow me! They don't know the forest like I do!" I yell as I finally take a look back.

One of the trolls is different as it seems James got the better of one but was replaced by a new one. They have James on the ground and are dragging him back. They're going to kill him. I look at him, then to the clear path and then back at my best friend.

"Capitol blood is the sweetest of all," I hear the Head Troll say as he raises the sword to behead James.

I unscrew the fairy dust, pour some into my hand and throw it at the Head Troll, transforming him into a tiny bug. The other trolls freeze giving me enough time to turn the rest of the trolls into bugs.

"You…" James struggles to stand up. "You saved me."

I shrugged approaching him, "It's the honorable thing to do."

"Thank you," he takes his things back.

"How could I let Prince Charming die?" James blushed at his nickname.

We had become friends when we were both 12 years old and I robbed him because my mother had just died and my father was struggling to provide for us. I stole his mother's ring but he tracked me down and caught me in a net. After casting "aspersions" at each other I had told him that he was a real Prince Charming and after our friendship grew, the name had stuck.

Since my necklace is empty I go to toss it aside when he interrupts, "You should keep it."

"Why?" I frown.

"It could be your token if you were reaped," he cheekily smiled; it was nice to see him joking about the reaping.

"Come on James," I say. "We should go. There may be more of them coming."

And as we leave the bridge, I can't help but notice that James deliberately steps on one of the troll bugs. It causes a strange thought to go through my head, on that never occurred to me until now.

He can take a life far too easily.

* * *

><p>We just barely are able to drop everything back at home before it's time to head to the square.<p>

"Mother and Henry must already be there," James locks up the shed.

"We're going to be late," I feel my heart pound, if we're late, we're sure to be punished by being reaped. "Got everything?"

"Just one second," James dashes into the house.

I groan, we don't have time for this, but when he comes out fastening a gold locket around his neck, I understand.

"Well," I sigh. "Come on Charming."

* * *

><p>"Name?" the sign-in man asks me.<p>

"Snow White," I reply as James scans the town square for his mother and my brother. Hopefully we will find them in time to say goodbye in case one of us is reaped.

"You've applied for two tesserae this year?" the man asks looking at his book.

I nod, "Yes, for my brother and I."

"So with three tesserae for age twelve, three for age thirteen, three for age fourteen, two for age fifteen, four for age sixteen and two for age seventeen, that brings you to a total of twenty-three entries," he confirms. "Sign here."

"There they are," James points out his mother and my brother.

"Next," the sign-in name calls. "Name?"

"James Nolan," James replies.

The man looks up, "Nolan? Any relation to David Nolan?"

"I'm his brother," James really didn't want to discuss the matter. "How many entries do I have this year?"

"Well, with two tesserae each for ages twelve through thirteen, four for age fourteen, another two each for ages fifteen to sixteen and three for this year-"

"About that," James interrupts, "my father passed away two months after the last games, so we shouldn't have received the rest of his tessera. So I was wondering-"

"Sorry," the man shakes his head, "you received tessera for the whole year and there's no such thing as half of an entry. Your total number of entries is twenty-one, sign on the line."

* * *

><p>We're barely able to say hello to Ruth and Henry when they herd us off to our positions for the reaping. Ruth is initially worried as to what happened but is distracted when she's ushered into her bittersweet spot of honor this year.<p>

"Twenty-one entries," I hear Prince Charming mutter as I try to reassure Henry that there's nothing to be afraid of.

"James!" I snap, he is really not helpful today.

He sees the look in my eyes that says he's making the situation worse and sighs, "Sorry."

"Go with James," I turn back to my little brother when they start signaling the eighteen year old girls to line up, my group will be next.

"Will I be picked?" Henry asks.

James and I look at each other; I send him a pleading look.

"Come on bud," James wraps his arm around Henry's shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"But there's a chance," Henry says.

James kneels down and looks my brother in the eye, "You have a single slip, one name in thousands. You will _not_ be a contestant in these games."

"Promise?" Henry asks.

James looks up at me, "I promise."

I smile at him and mouth thank you as Henry throws his arms around James which he returns in a tight embrace.

If I'm picked, at least I know Henry will be in good hands.

When all the children ages twelve through eighteen are all roped off and the clock strikes two, the ceremony begins. The mayor starts telling the story of the Hunger Games, how what used to be called North America fell into ruin and the shining Capitol of Storybrooke emerged. But it didn't last forever and the Districts rebelled causing a long war in which the Districts were beaten back and one District, District Thirteen, was annihilated. At the end of the war the Capitol began having the Hunger Games in which one boy and girl from every District were put in an arena for about a month and forces them to fight to the death in a televised event that only ended when there was a single contestant left standing.

"Now," the mayor announces, "let us take a moment to remember our contestants from last year, who had been the closest to our District winning since the 50th Hunger Games. In fourth place last year, Gretel Tillman."

Everyone clapped as Michael Tillman, Gretel's father, stood from his chair where the families of the previous contestants sat in honour every year. Gretel's twin brother, Hansel Tillman, now fifteen, was lost somewhere in the reaping crowd. The families of contestants, whether loser or victor, weren't safe from being reaped. There was one year that the sister of previous year's Victor was reaped and went on to be the Victor of her own year. Even a Victor's child wasn't safe; this is why I had chosen to never have children.

"And in second place last year, David Nolan," the mayor continues and it's Ruth's turn to stand up.

It had been a terrible year for Ruth, in addition to taking care of me and Henry, her eldest son, James' twin and his father's favourite, had been reaped. Coming in second meant that for a brief moment we actually thought that he would come home to us and bring the comforts of being a Victor with him. The farm had always struggled, but James worked hard to tend it with his mother, as well as Henry and myself when we moved in. His father, George, had worked hard to make David an extremely eligible bachelor so he could secure a good marriage, and more importantly, a good dowry. After David was killed, George tried to make James into everything David was. But James wanted nothing of that, saying that love was the one thing he could afford. There was a huge argument about what to do in which George even said that Henry and I had to move out. In the end, Ruth and James shouted down George and he retreated into depression eventually falling sick and passing away two months after David.

Like I said, it had been a hard year.

"Thank you families for giving us your children to make the noble sacrifice," the Mayor says.

"Noble," I scoff as I roll my eyes.

Next he reads the list of past District Twelve victors. In seventy-four years, we have had exactly two. Only one is still alive. Rumplestiltskin Gold. A strange, almost disturbing, reptilian-like, creature with golden eyes behind an unsettling gaze. That gaze is fixed on me as there's a forced, uneasy applause. He smiles at me and all I can do is look away. If I was reaped, I couldn't imagine entrusting my life with him. There aren't many things that scare me, but he's one of them.

"Now I'd like to introduce our District Twelve escort," the mayor steps back to make way for the familiar face.

Leather jacket with scruffy brown hair, not unlike James' scruff, and bearded, it was the friendly, yet serious, Graham Huntsman. Though we had long ago dubbed him "The Sheriff" for his job was dealing with us "criminals" in the mind of the Capitol. Seeing as we regularly robbed them on the highway, it wasn't without reason.

He comes up to the podium and grimaces as he gives the signature line, "Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be _ever_ in your favour."

Then he goes on a bit about what an honour it is to be there, although anyone could tell that the thought of the games made him sick. I can't help but wonder how he landed this job.

Through the crowd, I spot James looking back at me with a ghost of a smile. Suddenly I am thinking of his twenty-one names in that glass ball and how the odds are not in his favour. Or mine. With twenty-three slips, I know that those betting on the results have good odds on me. I know he's thinking the same thing because his face darkens and he looks away. I only wish I could comfort him, but even if I did, there's nothing I could say.

It's time for the drawing.

Gold smirks at The Sheriff and says in an overly happy voice, "Ladies first!"

The Sheriff digs into the ball and pulls out a slip. Every girl in the section holds their breath and I cross my fingers, praying to my fairy godmother, if I even have one, that it's not me.

"Snow White!"

It's me.

I register nothing; it's as if someone turned my brain onto autopilot. I walk toward the stage unblinking, I only turn my head once and that's to see Henry crying my name and struggling in the crowd. Thankfully he makes it up to the line of seventeen year olds and James restrains him.

"It's okay," I hear him tell Henry. "It'll be alright."

As I step on the stage, I see Ruth standing up, speechless, a hand over her mouth, eyes watery. I want to reach out to her, but The Sheriff grabs my extended hand and shakes it. There's sadness in his eyes, almost as if he wants to apologize.

"I introduce the reaping winner Snow White," The Sheriff announces to the crowd.

I feel Gold's eyes on my back but all I can see is James holding Henry as he cries. The look in James' eyes tells me that it's as hard on him as it is on Henry, but for Henry, for _me_, he'll be strong.

I can't help but wonder exactly _how_ hard it is for James.

"Any volunteers?" The Sheriff asks.

Someone snorts, no one ever volunteers in District Twelve. I can see James hesitate, but he can't do anything for me, especially volunteer my spot in the Hunger Games.

"Alright then," The Sheriff goes to the glass ball for the boys and picks the winner.

He opens the slip and pales. There's complete silence from him. Everyone frowns. The Sheriff should have said the name by now. Why is it taking so long?

The Sheriff looks at me with sadness and fear etched in his eyes. It's like he's trying to tell me something. Like he's sorry about the name he is about to read. It makes no sense, who could be so bad?

Oh, damn him! Couldn't he just say the name of the boy I had to kill already?

He clears his throat and finally reads out the name to us.

"Henry White!"

Son of a witch.

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Just a quick note, one of the tributes that will become one of the main characters (actually taking the role of Clove) I've named Archard Bannen meaning sacred and powerful commander. Now they may seem like an OC but I assure you that the only OCs are Paul and Raul, the game commentators and maybe some other Districts' nameless mentors and escorts. Archard is actually what I've decided to name Regina's Guard. The one who Snow runs into in Snow Falls and tries to kill her but is killed by James. So just imagine him in the role… The guard not James. Everyone understand? Good!

The outfits in this chapter are initially the same as the last chapter but when they change Snow is wearing what I can only describe as her pregnancy dress (when they discuss whether or not to go to Rumplestiltskin) with her hair up in the same way as it is in that scene from _Pilot_. James is wearing the outfit he has on when they're showing Ella the mines and when Thomas disappears in _The Price of Gold_, minus the cape.

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game <span>

_Chapter 2_

James' POV

* * *

><p>"Henry White."<p>

My heart drops.

"No!" I hear Snow scream.

Not this, anything but this. They couldn't do it. They couldn't make Snow kill him. They couldn't make Henry fight her. And Snow wouldn't let anyone else kill him.

And me, I couldn't lose half my family again, I couldn't have my brother killed on a TV screen again. Yes, I had come to see Henry as my brother. I had learned to love him, maybe even more than I had loved David. As for Snow… Well, that was a whole different story.

I see Henry look up at me fearful and I instantly lock my arm around him with an iron grip, daring anyone to try and take Henry from me.

"No!" I hear Snow cry again and she tries to run to us when The Sheriff grabs her.

"Miss White," he says, not realising the microphone is still on.

"I have to go to him! I can't leave him. I can't-" I hear Snow sob. "For God's sake! He's only twelve!"

"No!" Henry cries, he's spotted a pair of Capitol security guards heading towards us.

Snow spots them and I'm shocked when she punches The Sheriff directly on the nose. He pulls back, letting go of her arm and grabs his bloody nose. It gives Snow the chance to wretch her arm from his grasp and run to us.

Henry says to me, "You promised."

"I know," I look at Snow as she crouches to Henry's level and engulfs him in her arms.

"You said I wouldn't have to compete," Henry is becoming hysterical in his sister's arms.

"You won't, Henry. I promise you that you won't," I tell him in a firm voice.

There has to be something I could do.

"Mister and Miss White," we look up to see The Sheriff and the two Capitol security guards. My mother isn't far behind them. "You have to come with us."

And then I realise what I have to do.

"I volunteer," I tell Henry and the brother and sister pair looks at me with fear in their eyes.

"No," Snow whispers.

"What?" The Sheriff frowns, only Snow and Henry had heard.

"I said I volunteer!" I exclaim.

Everyone goes dead silent.

"No," Snow shakes her head. "You can't. Your mother-"

"Would you rather it be your brother?" I can't look my mother in the eye though I know she's close.

"Don't ask me to kill you," Snow begs.

I look at her. Does she really not understand how I feel about her?

"I'm not," I say.

"So," The Sheriff cuts in, "have you made your choice?"

"Yes," I nod.

"Very well then," The Sheriff nods. "On the stage if you please."

The Sheriff turns back to the stage and I go to follow him when my mother grabs my shoulder.

"James," she whispers.

"Take Henry," I order her and then follow Snow onto the stage.

I come to a stop next to Snow, she looks at me and silently mouths thank you. Smiling, I take her hand; we both understand that I've not only taken the place of her brother, but my own brother as well.

"Are you proud of me now father?" I bitterly whisper. In my whole life he had never told me he was. He told Mister Perfect Twin that he was proud of David every day.

In response Snow looks at me and takes my hand, "Even if he isn't, _I_ am."

"I present you the District Twelve tributes, Snow White and James Nolan," The Sheriff announces.

Instead of acknowledging applause, we stand there unmoving while the crowd takes part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says we do not agree. We do not condone. All of this is wrong.

Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District Twelve as a place that cares about me. Not like they cared about David, the perfect one. But a shift has occurred since I stepped up to take Henry's place, and now it seems I have become someone precious. At first one, then another, then almost every member of the crowd touches three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me. It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration.

It means goodbye to someone you love.

* * *

><p>"They can't force you," my mother says as we say goodbye.<p>

I sigh, we've been through this before, she knows what they can and cannot do, "Yes, they can."

"Then don't do it," she begs, "run away."

"I can't. They will kill you."

"I lose you either way. At least I'll know you'll be happy."

I shake my head, "I already accepted my position. I didn't come here for advice, mother. I came here to say goodbye. There was too much at stake. I couldn't let Snow suffer on my account. I couldn't let them hurt her. You know, Father was right about one thing, I can't have everything."

"My boy. My sweet, sweet boy," she embraces me and then an idea comes to her and she starts fiddling with her wedding ring, silver set with an emerald. "Take this as your token. Give it to Snow."

"No," I say as she forces it into my hand, "no, I can't take this. She doesn't even know how I feel and I know she doesn't feel the same way."

"Just because she doesn't know, doesn't mean you won't tell her." We look over at Snow who was hugging Henry as if there was no tomorrow, "And it doesn't mean she doesn't love you or won't grow to. True love follows this ring wherever it goes, my son. I had it a long time ago with your father, I've had it as your mother, now you will have it. Take it."

"No, no," I still object but I'm fighting a losing battle.

"Take it, and I'll know. Even if I never see you again," Clearly memories of David are going through her mind, "I'll know you'll find love. I'll know you'll be happy."

"You'll be in the Capitol right?" I ask. When the games start, one member of each contestant's family will be taken to the Capitol and they will be put in a room where they watch the games together. Their reactions to events, especially the death of their family member, will be televised. And sometimes, if they _really_ don't get along, their interactions will be televised. Sometimes it's more interesting than the games themselves.

"Of course," my mother nods. "I didn't get to go for David, but there's nothing that will stop me from being there this year."

I look down and play with the ring in my hand. There had once been a time when my parents loved each other very much. My father had been the son of the mayor when he was young and in line to become mayor after him. However, he met my mother, fell in love and married her causing his father to disown him. When Grandfather Nolan passed on they were forced to pick a new person as mayor over him. I think it was around that time that my parents' marriage began to fall apart. Father was a hard person who didn't show emotion easily and Mother is a very kind, gentle and loving person. They were opposites and although opposites attract, there is a reason they're call opposites. The true breaking point came when my mother realised that David was Father's favourite and she resented that he treated me like an unanticipated nuisance. However, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't Mother's favourite, even while David was alive.

"Ruth?" we look up to see Snow and Henry approaching us. "You'll take care of Henry for me, right? Not just if I come back?"

My mother smiles and places a hand on Snow's shoulder, "Regardless."

Snow surprises me by throwing her arms around my mother. It's surprising because the last time she had held anyone like that, so lost, so desperate, so unsure of her place in the world, she was holding me next to her father's coffin.

It was the moment I realised I was in love with her.

"Oh my Snow," my mother finally pulls back and wipes a tear from the girl's face. "So young and yet so experienced in the horrors of yet to come."

Snow looks me in the eye, "Maybe not as experienced as one would think."

"James. Snow. Listen to me," Mother begins. "I have seen far too many children I know go into the Arena only to never come back out. I have seen one of my own children go in and never come out. Now I send two of my children in there once more. This Arena changes people. You _will_ be forced to do things you never wanted to and things you'll never forget. You'll hear things, see things, and say things that are unimaginable. You two have _always_ worked well together. You've been friends for five years. You know each other. Each other's strengths, limits and fears. The only way either of you will make it out of there alive is if you work together. Rely on each other and rely on allies, but only if they're true allies. If you make friends, don't forget that one of you _will _die. Know that if it comes down to the two of you as the last people standing, it's _your_ decision to make who lives and dies. Know that regardless if only one of you returns alive, it won't matter which one of you it is. You are our family and we will welcome you home with open arms, even if you have to kill the other."

Snow and I look at each other and she looks down. I wonder if taking my life would be as hard on her as taking her life would be on me.

"Don't forget that you are human, but listen to your instincts." Mother reaches out and touches the empty necklace around Snow's neck, "Be the mockingjay. But most of all make sure the guy you've killed is actually dead."

I can't help but snort, it may have been the thing that caused David's death but right now it seemed so obvious that it was comical.

"Ahem," we turn to see The Sheriff looking awkward as he interrupts our moment. "It's time to go."

* * *

><p>"So how many times a year does this train get used?" I ask The Sheriff as he shows Snow and I to our private quarters. Just to make it clear, we each have our own quarters. We're not sleeping together… I mean next to each other. We're still not sleeping <em>with<em> each other, not that I wouldn't like to- I mean… I should shut up now.

"It depends. If there's no victor from the District, then six times, twice to pick up the contestants and bring them to the Capitol, twice to pick up their families and bring them to the Capitol and twice to bring back and return from dropping off their families and coach…_es_," The Sheriff catches Mister Gold's eye, the first time it's been off Snow since we boarded. Gold is the one of only two Districts to only have a single coach, the other being District Eleven. The Sheriff continues, "If there is a victor we use it quite a bit when we do the victory tour. But I'll tell you all about that later when one of you wins. Right?"

Snow and I look at each other. You couldn't help but feel bad for our team, they hadn't had a winner in twenty-four years. It must really be disheartening to mentor child after child every year, only to have to see them get killed a week later.

"Right," she replies, but The Sheriff can tell it's forced.

"So, here's Mister Nolan's quarters," we stop and The Sheriff opens the door to the compartment. "Your brother didn't really make a mess last year, so we did a brief clean, but pretty much everything's still there."

"Thanks," I grimace. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate my brother, I miss him every day. But he certainly isn't my number one favourite person.

The group moves on to show Snow her compartment and I'm left to "unpack". There isn't anything really to unpack, so I put my mother's ring on the top of the nightstand next to the bed and begin to snoop around the drawers. Each one is filled with rich fabrics forming handsome outfits, the same outfits my brother had once rejected. I would get to choose one outfit for the train ride as they would film our reactions to the viewing of all the Districts' reapings so the audience would start getting an idea of who we choose our competition to be. I couldn't even tell you what David was wearing last year but I know that they removed the outfit from the drawers to make sure I didn't pick it. Although I'm sure the Gamemakers are going wild over the fact that last year's fan favourite had a twin that was competing this year.

I choose a simple brown outfit discarding the thick furry cape that matched it; it was much too hot for that thing. I decide that I should properly put away my mother's ring; otherwise I might lose it, in which case I might as well kill myself in the arena. I open the nightstand's first drawer and freeze.

Sitting in the drawer is a sheep hide bracelet with the initials D N tanned on it.

* * *

><p>"And what's so important about that?" The Sheriff asks as I stare at it while we wait for Snow to show up so we can start dinner.<p>

"I made it for him," I explain, anger boiling over. "I worked months on it, getting it perfect and he promised that he would use it as his token. Then what does he do? Leaves it on the train! I thought he lost it in the arena but I guess that it wasn't good enough for him to wear!"

Gold laughs, "Oh yes! _David_. I remember him."

I glared at the strange old man and bitterly say, "Really? What did you think of him?"

"Too big for his britches," Gold shrugs. "I swear people could have mistaken him for a Capitol. I never thought he would win."

"Why not?" we look at the door, standing there is Snow. Her dress is pure white and the waist looks like it could fit around a large stomach but Snow's petite figure makes it fall past her feet in a pool on the floor. Her hair she decided to do somewhat up in a messy but attractive fashion. She looks stunning.

"Snow White indeed," Gold smiles at her and I realise that I had been holding my breath.

The Sheriff stands up and escorts her to her seat next to mine, but stops her from sitting, "The dress is long."

"I know," she admits, "but I really liked it."

"Don't worry," The Sheriff walks over to a desk and pulls open a drawer producing what seems to be a kit of things to fit outfits. Things like needles, thread, scissors, pins, a brush, a small can of hairspray, a few necklaces, some pairs of gloves and a couple sashes. He pulls out an off white sash and ties it around her waist. He then takes some safety pins and uses them to hold up the extra length of dress to various parts of the sash. Finally he pulls out a pair of leather black gloves and throws them to me, "There, now both of your outfits are complete."

"How did you know?" I ask.

"Experience. If you'll excuse me I need to check on our feed," he simply answers before leaving the room.

"So," Snow sits down, "Mister Gold. Why didn't you think that David could have won?"

"He didn't have what he needed to win," Gold replies.

Snow and I look at each other.

"What did he need?" I push.

Gold picks up a glass of red wine and drinks, ignoring us.

"Aren't you supposed to give us advice?" Snow asks.

"Here's advice, stay alive," he laughs. God I hate his laugh!

"That's very funny." I strike the glass out of his hands and the glass shatters on the floor, "Only not to us."

I didn't expect him to punch me out of my chair. Nor did I expect Snow to drive her knife between his fingers (if she wanted to stab him, she would have). What I do expect is for him to hit her, but he never does. I must really be out of it.

"What's this?" he uses his irritatingly happy laugh. "Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?"

I return to my chair and grab the ice from my glass.

But as I start to raise it to the red mark on my jaw he shakes his head, "No. Let the bruise show. The audience will think you've mixed up with another tribute before you've made it to the arena."

"That's against the rules," I say.

"Only if they catch you," he smiles. "That bruise will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better."

"But the only person he could have fought with is me." Snow asks, "How is that smart?"

"David was handsome. He had charm, strength, kindness, honesty, loyalty and passion. The sponsors just loved him, the gifts were pouring in," Gold smiles at Snow; I hate it when he does that, it makes her feel so uncomfortable.

"Then why didn't you give him any?" I ask, everyone knew that David was well liked but Rumplestiltskin was his mentor and controlled what gifts David got and when. In the end David didn't really get any gifts and no one understood why.

"I did give a gift," Gold reminded me, "but the thing is that David didn't have any cunning and cunning is 99 percent of the game. You don't eliminate everyone in the Arena, you outsmart them. I give the gifts when the contestants _need _them, or when I'm trying to get you to do something that will help you win. I tell every one of my pupils this, but few ever listen to me and even fewer have the brains to understand my gifts. Understand them, and I will rain gifts on you. That's how Gretel made it so far last year."

Snow and I look at each other; we had agreed long ago that if we ever were reaped that we both would have a hard time trusting Gold. He was just… creepy.

"Yes I am creepy."

We jump.

"He reads minds," The Sheriff re-enters the room not even surprised at the mark on my face.

Gold smiles at us deviously, "I can't read minds, but I can read people. Listen to old Rumplestiltskin. You can hate me, be afraid of me, ignore me, but know this. In that Arena you are blind, you have no idea how many sponsors or gifts you'll have, but _I_ control what you get. We can be distant and you can take your chances without my help, _or_ we can be friends and I can help you through this thing. I can make you win. Don't make the mistake everyone else has, trust me and trust your instincts as well as your mind. Use your cunning and use mine and we'll celebrate your victory in the town square with all your family and friends."

I look at Snow, "We don't have a choice, do we?"

Gold now smiles at me, "Oh everyone has a choice dearie. Just make sure it's the right one."

"So," The Sheriff claps to get our attention as he sends a look to Gold. "Dinner."

Dinner was a seemingly never ending meal, course after course of rich Capitol food. A few more courses and I'm sure Snow would have had no problem fitting into her dress. We were stuffed. The dessert we had was apple pie, a treat that was rare in District Twelve but not unheard of. We luckily lived next to a grove of apple trees so we had the fruit often, which was good because it was Snow's favourite.

"Best apple pie I've ever had, but what's this stuff on top?" Snow gestures to a hard white scoop of something that looked not unlike whipped cream but far more solid.

I try some; it's cold, sweet and has a nice flavour to it which I recognize as vanilla, after a bit of thought. I've only had vanilla a handful of times; we don't have a lot of additives back home, most everything being raw flavours.

"It's called ice cream," The Sheriff laughs kindly as he prepares something on the counter, "vanilla ice cream to be exact."

"There's other types of… _ice cream_?" I try out the word.

"Pretty much any flavour you can imagine. Chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch, cookie dough, cheesecake," The Sheriff replies. He sees the look on our faces and frowns, "You don't know what cookie dough or cheesecake is?"

"No," I shake my head.

"Well, I'll make sure to put that on the menu before the games." The Sheriff returns to the table and places a pair of mugs in front of us. We can't see the liquid because it's topped with whipped cream, some sort of small brown rectangular prisms and the brightest red cherry I have ever seen. "It's hot chocolate with cinnamon, topped with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a maraschino cherry."

Ice cream, cheesecake, cookie dough, sprinkles, maraschino cherries; I kinda wish I were a Capitol so I could try all the different foods.

"Cheers," Snow lifts her mug, we clink them together and take a gulp.

The sweet rich and somewhat spicy liquid splashes down my throat in pure ecstasy. God it's good! I lower my mug onto the table and look at Snow.

She bursts out laughing.

"What?" I frown and look down; sitting on my upper lip is a line of whipped cream.

"Here, I'll get it," she leans across the table and slowly wipes it away with a gentle touch of her napkin. I hold my breath at such close contact. She stays close as she whispers, "There."

"Thanks," I breathe.

"No problem," she looks me in the eye; I swear there's something in the look.

"Ahem!" The Sheriff gives us a look and Snow plants herself in her seat blushing. I know what he's thinking, the last thing a District's team needs is for their contestants to have a romantic entanglement. It never ends well. But The Sheriff didn't need to worry, we District Twelves aren't at all like the District Ones when it comes to love. District One has a history of their contestants being in love. There was even one year where the pair of them had slept together in a cave in the Arena. Since there was nothing interesting going on at the time and they couldn't exactly show the audience what the District Ones were doing, we ended up with about an hour where the Gamemakers were forced to show every other contestant sleeping. The District Ones lost a whole heck of a lot of sponsors and ended up getting killed the very next day by a cave in.

"We're going to be viewing the recap of the reapings in a few moments," The Sheriff tells us. "Now remember your reactions might be broadcasted and there are cameras on us now. They will be turning on in a few moments so let's smile and show everyone who the best District is."

"Yes Sheriff," Snow gives a mock salute.

The Sheriff smiles, "Call me Graham."

"Yes Graham!" I give him a mock salute like Snow and we grin at each other.

Graham pushes a button on the wall and a large screen lowers from the roof. When Graham sits down the screen lights up displaying the standard black, white and grey image of what looks like a line going around the screen like a clock as it counts down from ten, cutting off at one.

A pair of identical, sharply dressed, young Capitol brothers sits at a desk in front of the screen wearing unnatural smiles. To their right sits an older, shorter man who wears a pair of glasses and has a white beard.

"Welcome everyone to the 74th Annual Hunger Games," the first man beamed. "I'm Paul."

"And I'm Raul," the second man grins. "And with us we have the Head Gamemaker, Doc Pickaxe. Welcome Doc, glad to have you."

"Glad to be here," Doc nods.

"So can you give us any idea as to what's in store for our kids this year?" Paul asks… or maybe it's Raul.

I cross my fingers, maybe this year we will get a hint.

"You know I can't do that," Doc shakes his head.

"Damn!" Snow exclaims and throws her hands over her mouth when the screen shows the image of her saying it under the caption of District Twelve Female Tribute.

She looks at me, then Graham and Gold and we all burst out laughing.

"At least you've started to get some attention, dearie," Gold offers.

"That was our female tribute from Twelve," Raul or Paul says.

"But we'll get to learn more about her later," Paul or Raul replies. "Let's start with the reapings from District One. First our girl."

The screen shows a close up of the District One escort selecting, unfolding and reading out a name.

* * *

><p>"<em>Kathryn Abigail."<em>

* * *

><p>A beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed young woman is shown, she looks hesitant but there's a glimmer of pride in her eyes.<p>

"She's pretty," I cringe half expecting my reaction to show up on the screen.

But it doesn't.

"They're saving you as a surprise for the fans of your brother," Graham explains.

I nod and look back at Snow, she is glaring at me. I'm not sure whether it's because I won't get screen time like her or because I think Kathryn's pretty.

I sincerely hope it's the latter.

"Kathryn is the daughter of District One's mayor, Midas," Paul or Raul says.

"Yes," Raul or Paul says, "and it's said that since he's brought so much wealth to Storybrooke that he has the golden touch."

"It would explain the single glove," Paul or Raul says as they show a shot of her father looking on at her with pride.

* * *

><p><em>The next name is read out but before the boy can walk on stage another boy cries out that he volunteers. They welcome him on stage and ask his name.<em>

"_Doctrine Whale," the boy, who looks like a day older and he would be nineteen._

"_I present the tributes for District One," the escort says to the crowd and camera, "Kathryn Abigail and Doctor Whale. Sorry, Doctrine Whale."_

* * *

><p>"Well it looks like we've got a nickname already," Paul or Raul says and they show a shot of an annoyed looking Doctrine under the caption, District One.<p>

"Now, don't you scowl," Doc Pickaxe tells the tribute, "those with nicknames are remembered."

"Yeah," Paul or Raul says, yeah I'm sure it's Paul, "remember Noble David?"

I cringe at my brother's nickname, it had been bearable to live under his shadow before the nickname but after I almost decided to change my name.

After a shot of Doctor Whale and Kathryn waving at the camera from their train, they move onto the next District. First called is a girl but like Whale, someone volunteers instantly.

Her name? Regina Mills.

Snow tenses instantly, "Uh oh."

We all look at her.

"What?" I ask.

Snow looks around for the camera and then leans in extremely close to my ear before barely saying, "I think I've robbed her a couple times."

"What?" I go wide eyed as the screen announces the male tribute is a boy named Archard Bannen.

"She's the one I got the dust from," Snow tells me. "I've robbed her at least three times in the past year."

"That's not good," I see Gold and Graham look at us strangely wanting to hear what we're saying, but unable to.

"She'll be tough to beat," Snow says.

"Ahem!" Graham jerks his head and the screen and luckily since they won't show me, they won't show the shot of us whispering. We sit back up as if nothing happened and look at the screen as they announce the District Three male.

* * *

><p>"<em>Jiminy Cricket!"<em>

* * *

><p>The screen shows a shot of Kathryn snorting and saying, "What kind of name is that?"<p>

Well there goes the attractiveness… or at least some of it.

Next they tell us that District Four's tributes are Astrid Nova and Leroy Grumps, he's a dwarf like Doc Pickaxe. After that they announce District Five's tributes, a girl named Ruby Riding. The red clad girl looks like she's very clever and will be a challenge. On the other hand the boy, Billy Woodsman, looks like an idiot who won't make it out of the Cornucopia.

I tune out after that only catching some interesting names like Sleepy Shuteye and Sneezy Dwarfson, who both are dwarves.

All these faces, all these people will be dead within a month; only one of us left standing. I will win? Will Snow? Will we both be dead? If so will it be by the Gamemakers? Or maybe one of these faces on the screen will put the knife through my back. Even worse, I might put a knife through their back.

"So knives are your choice of weapon?" Gold suddenly asks.

I balk at him, "You do read minds!"

"No," he shakes his head, "I read people."

"He doesn't use knives," Snow interrupts, "we both use arrows. James here can actually hit a moving target through a wooded area."

Gold gives a low whistle, "Impressive. Anything else you're good at?"

"Herding, hunting, the works of a shepherd boy," I shrug.

"So butchering," Gold smiles. "And you missy, what's your specialty?"

Snow hesitates but there's no use hiding it, "I rob people on the highway and sale their wares to trolls… or at least did."

I don't meet her look. What use are trolls going to be now? If we make it home we'll never want again.

Gold looks thoughtful, "Do you two work together?"

"Yes," Snow nods, "very well."

Gold and Graham look at each other and smile.

"Emma will be pleased," Graham says cryptically. But before we can ask who Emma is, Graham starts. "Look at the screen!"

Raul is announcing, "Sorry folks, we're having technical difficulties with the feed for District Eleven's tributes."

Gold frowns, "It's Fairie Godmother."

"Who?" Snow asks.

"The District Eleven Mentor," Gold explains as I remember that District Eleven also only has one mentor. "She doesn't want her pupils to see who everyone is so that she can decide who they should trust and tell them instead of letting them choose for themselves. It's like feeding them to the wolves."

"Hey!" Graham exclaims, though I don't know why.

"Sorry," Gold says. "But honestly, I would love to destroy Fairie Godmother."

I frown, "You mean in the Games."

"Sure," he doesn't look me in the eye. Snow and I look each other and scoot away from him before looking back at the screen.

"We'll have that feed up in a moment," Doc Pickaxe says on the screen. "Until then we'll run the footage for District Twelve and have we got a surprise for you."

"The Capitol representative is once more Grant Wolfsman," Paul announces.

"Oh come on!" Graham yells, "It's _Graham Huntsman_! Every year!"

Snow and I stifle a laugh as they play Graham outburst on screen.

"Sorry Graham," Raul slaps Paul upside the head. "Anyway here's the reapings."

They show a shot of Gold saying ladies first, then Graham selecting and reading Snow's name. There's a shot of Henry crying and running only to be caught and held back by a mysterious young man. It seems that they've intentionally chosen shots where you couldn't see my face.

"That's Henry White," Raul informs the audience. "He's Snow's twelve year old brother. The first time he's part of the reaping and has not a single tessera."

"Highly unlikely he'll be chosen," Doc comments.

Snow and I don't look at each other.

"What I'm wondering," Paul comments, "is who is that young man holding back Harvey?"

"Henry, his name is Henry," Snow corrects.

"Give it up Snow," Graham bitterly tells her. "I've been at this job for ten years and they still get my name wrong."

The short exchange is shown on the screen and Graham rolls his eyes.

"The young man is probably someone important to the family," Doc says.

"Or her boyfriend," Paul suggests and gets another smack from his brother.

A shot of Snow's bright blushing face is shown on the screen; she's almost as red as her lips.

* * *

><p>"<em>Alright then," the shot of Graham says and then picks another slip. <em>

* * *

><p>The awkward pause is shown, a close up on Graham's scared face, a shot of me holding Henry (again with no face), a shot of Snow.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Henry White."<em>

* * *

><p>The commentators' jaws drop as we hear Snow scream out. There's a shot of Henry looking at me fearful, again I have no face. They seem to be building the suspense.<p>

"Who is that young man holding the child?" Raul asks.

They show Snow's struggle with Graham and punching him in the face. It's only now I see the bandage on Graham's face as he sits next to the screen.

"You go girl!" Paul cries and gets another slap from his brother.

* * *

><p><em>Henry says to me, "You promised."<em>

"_I know," I still have no face as Snow crouches to Henry's level and engulfs him in her arms. _

"_You said I wouldn't have to compete," Henry is becoming hysterical in his sister's arms._

"_You won't, Henry. I promise you that you won't."_

* * *

><p>Seriously, show my face already.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Mister and Miss White," there's Graham and the two Capitol security guards. "You have to come with us."<em>

_I mutter something with my non-existent mouth; it's clearly the sound that was picked up by Graham's mic. _

_The brother and sister pair look at me with fear in their eyes._

* * *

><p>"What did he say?" Paula and Raul exclaim.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I said I volunteer!" I exclaim.<em>

* * *

><p>And then they show my face.<p>

Everyone goes dead silent.

"Is that?" Paul looks at Raul.

"It can't be," Raul shakes his head, "he's dead…right?"

I roll my eyes.

* * *

><p>"<em>No," Snow shakes her head at me on the screen. "You can't. Your mother-"<em>

"_Would you rather it be your brother?" I couldn't look my mother in the eye._

"_Don't ask me to kill you," Snow begs._

"_I'm not," I say._

"_So," Graham cuts in, "have you made your choice?"_

"_Yes," I nod._

* * *

><p>We're then on the stage and they show Snow take my hand and smile.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I present you the District Twelve tributes, Snow White and James Nolan," The Sheriff announces.<em>

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>James <strong>_Nolan?" Paul looks at Raul who shrugs. Suddenly Raul's hand goes to his ear and he listens to something.

I notice that Graham is muttering into his hand, he must be holding a mic.

"We're just getting in information on James Nolan," Raul tells the audience. "James is the younger twin brother of last year's runner up, Noble David Nolan. His father George passed away this year and he lives with his mother. They took in James' best friend and her brother a few years ago and it's none other than female tribute, Snow White."

"Now _that's_ television!" Paul claps his hands.

I frown, "Now _that's_ sick!"

"For those whose don't remember, David made his impression on us when the sixteen year old teamed up with the twelve year old District Eleven female tribute, Alexandra Herman. David protected her during the entire game, ensuring she reached third place. Unfortunately they were attacked by the winner, District Two's Goliath Muscles, who fatally stabbed Alexandra. David cradled her as she bled out to death and she gave him her token, a beautiful golden locket," Raul relayed the heavily edited ending of last year's games.

The locket part was true; I had found it in David's grasp as I helped my parents prepare his body for the funeral. I wear it around my neck now which leads me to a dilemma. Mother gave me her ring but I wanted to have the locket with me. The reason I had the locket was because engraved on the front of it, it said "Thomas & Alexandra" and inside was a picture of Alexandra and a young man with short sandy blonde hair. I had made it my mission to find Thomas, he was her brother and I thought I could relate to him. Maybe I'll give it to Graham and he can arrange it to be given to the Hermans.

"Wave to the camera," Graham instructs us and we do the best we can do to smile and wave.

"Volunteering for a child who is the little brother of my best friend after losing my own brother last year in the very same games!" Paul laughs. "I have a new favourite!"

Now they show my own blush.

"We have the feed for District Eleven back up," Doc announced. "So without further ado, the final reapings."

The girl selected is named Ella Boyd, she looks about the age that Snow and I are and she's dressed in light brown tatters with a blue grey bandana. It looks like if anyone truly needed the rewards of winning the Hunger Games, it was her. Great, now another person I don't want to kill.

"Commonly known as Cinderella, Ella Boyd lives with her step-mother and two step-sisters," Raul reported as Ella climbed on stage.

"Looks more like works for them," Paul muttered.

"Next we have the male contestant," Raul says, "but I doubt we could get any more surprised than the volunteering of James Nolan."

"We should give him a nickname," Paul suggested.

"No you shouldn't!" I exclaim and it's broadcasted all throughout Storybrooke. I can imagine my mother laughing at the footage and I feel as if a bit of my burden has been lifted.

Fairie Godmother paused and looked troubled like Graham did when he had to call out Henry's name. What could be wrong now?

* * *

><p><em>She reads out the name, "Thomas Herman."<em>

* * *

><p>The image that fills the screen is my shocked expression.<p>

No one says a word, no one moves, even Gold looks uncomfortable.

Then I see both Graham and Raul are at it again with their hidden mics and headsets.

"James?" Graham whispers to me as the screen switches to a shot of Thomas on his train. It was definitely the boy in the locket. "Do you want to say anything?"

As the screen changes to the footage of Fairie Godmother presenting the winners at their reaping, I can tell she's asking Thomas the same thing in his train.

"Yeah," I choke out, but I don't know what I'm going to say, I just need to say something.

"This just in," Raul announces, "we're going to James Nolan and Thomas Herman to comment on the situation. James is there anything you'd like to say?"

Thomas and I stare at our screens, not really knowing what to say. He seems to be intimidated and scared.

I blurt out, "I have your sister's locket."

Thomas blinks, he wasn't expecting it, "Neat."

"Yeah," I awkwardly reply. "I don't know if you already have a token-"

"No I don't."

"Oh, good. I mean- Yeah."

"Yeah," he nods.

"So, if you wanted it, I could give it to you later," I clear my throat.

"Yeah, I'll definitely look for you."

The screen cuts back to the commentators who are looking as awkward as us.

Paul finally cuts in, "And don't forget everyone, this awkward encounter was brought to you by our sponsor, Grandma Blindy's Gingerbread. It's so good, you'll want to make a house out of it."

The screen then shows a brief recap of all the tributes as the anthem plays before the screen goes off and Graham announces we're almost there.

Snow and I look out the window and frown, the sign that says "Welcome to the Capitol!" has been ruined. We ponder this for a few moments but soon people recognize the District Twelve tribute train and they are falling over themselves to see us. To see me. We smile and wave but my mind is racing.

Three. Three out of twenty-three people I had to kill, I knew I couldn't kill. I couldn't kill Snow, my best friend. I couldn't kill Ella, the girl who deserves to win the prizes. I couldn't kill Thomas, the brother of the girl my own brother had promised to always protect.

There was no way I was getting out of this alive.

* * *

><p>If you like this and want to see more, please drop me a review, it's the best way for me to know what you like and want to see. Not to mention I respond to <em>every<em> review and answer pretty much any question posed.

**Next Chapter:** Fire, cheesecake and the introduction of Emma.


	3. Chapter 3

Big important note, in this story Emma looks as she normally does, but she is not related to James or Snow in any way.

The outfits they wear in the opening ceremony are what Ella wore when she went to the ball in _The Price of _Gold, what Thomas wore when he disappeared in the same episode but both with embellishments I had to make it more representative of agricultural. For James and Snow it's what they wore when they broke the spell in _Pilot_… but with fire.

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game <span>

_Chapter 3_

Snow's POV

* * *

><p>"Son of a witch!" I exclaim as a dwarf named Bashful rips the waxing strip off my leg.<p>

"Sorry," he blushes, "you're just so hairy."

"Don't worry," a dwarf by the name of Happy beams, "this is the last one."

The final dwarf, Dopey, rips off the last strip, but he seems to not understand what he's doing because he doesn't rip it hard or fast enough that they have to redo it and it ends up leaving wax on my leg that they have to scrub off.

I've been in the Remake Center for more than three hours and I still haven't met my stylist. Apparently she has no interest in seeing me until Happy, Dopey and Bashful have addressed some obvious problems. This has included scrubbing my body with a gritty foam that has not only removed dirt but at least three layers of skin, turning my nails into uniform shapes, and primarily, ridding my body of hair. My legs, arms, torso, underarms, parts of my eyebrows and some places I'd rather not mention have been stripped of the stuff, leaving me like a plucked bird, ready for roasting. I don't like it. My skin feels sore and tingling and intensely vulnerable. But Gold made James and I promise not to fight the stylists as he said it would help us in the end, so no objection has crossed my lips.

The idea that James is going through the same thing comforts me. The fact that he chose to do this for me is even better. He too is being stripped and ripped, probably having some different places waxed, like his chest. Believe it or not, I have never seen his chest, so I'm not sure if it's hairy there or not. The idea of James' bare chest has put a smile on my face, but I don't know why.

"OW!" I scream as another strip is ripped off my leg.

"Sorry," Bashful blushes, "missed a spot."

Next they rub me down with a lotion that stings at first and then soothes my raw skin. They pull me from the table and remove the thin robe I've been allowed to wear off and on. I stand there, completely naked, as the three circle me, wielding tweezers to remove any last bits of hair. I know I should be embarrassed, but the dwarves are so unlike humans (or at least these ones are) that I'm not. Besides, I think Bashful is embarrassed enough to cover all four of us, my stylist, James _and_ James' own prep team… there might even be a little left over after that.

The three step back and admire their work.

"Excellent!" Happy exclaims, "You almost look like a human being now!"

They all laugh and I force a smile to show how grateful I am.

"Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve."

This wins them over completely.

"Of course you don't, you poor darling," Happy clasps his hands together.

"Don't worry," Bashful can't look me in the eye he's blushing too much. "By the time Emma is through with you, you're going to be absolutely gorgeous!"

Dopey nods enthusiastically and looks at the other dwarves.

"You're right Dopey!" Happy beams, "Let's call Emma!"

Emma is a tall blonde haired blue eyed woman somewhere in her late twenties or early thirties, wearing a white shirt, red jacket and blue jeans. She looks serious and guarded, like she doesn't have many friends and had been hurt in the past.

"Hello, Snow. I'm Emma Swan, your stylist," there's an authority in her voice but kindness too. We're alone but I'm not afraid as she asks me to drop my robe and inspects me.

"Who did your hair?" Emma asks.

"I did," I answer. "Do you like it?"

"It's nice, but not what we're going for here," she explains. "Take it down."

I do and she examines me, she seems to be impressed.

"Long hair as black as night, lips as red as rose, skin as pale as snow," she observes. "Have you have work done?"

I'm taken a back and slightly offended, "No!"

"Sorry, it's just not a lot of people roll out of bed like this."

"You're new, aren't you? I don't think I've seen you around before."

"Yes, this is my first year in the Games," Emma replies.

"So they gave you District Twelve," newcomers often got undesirable Districts.

"I asked for District Twelve," she frowns with a hard stare at me. After a moment she softens and smiles, "And it helped that I crashed into the welcome sign a few days ago."

I laugh, "You did that?"

"Guilty as charged," she puts her hands up. "Now listen, I kick ass and take no prisoners but I also can help you win this game. If you trust me I will have you make such an impression on the crowds that everyone will be tripping over themselves to sponsor you and be saying Nolan who?"

"OK," I look away from her; I still don't want to trust her, especially after the comment about James.

"Tell me, do you trust Graham?" she suddenly asks.

"Somewhat," I answer honestly.

"And Rumplestiltskin?"

"No."

"And me?"

"I don't know," I look down.

"Well know this," Emma warns, "it is **not **our job to make you look good. It is our job to make sure you get out of there _alive_. I know you have something to fight for, so you have let me protect you. You have to let me make you look good because if you don't, I might as well push you out of that window right now. So do you trust me? Or should I open the window?"

I look her in the eyes and notice for the first time that she has the same eyes as James.

"I trust you," I smile.

"Good, now put your robe back on, we can expect the boys any second," Emma hands me my robe. "Unless you don't have a problem with James seeing your-"

I snatch the robe out of her hands and throw it on, just in time too because that's when there's a knock on the door.

"It's open!" Emma calls and Graham, Gold, James and an old man I had never seen before, enters.

"What happened to your hair?" I gasp as I sit down from the shock that James' signature scruff is now a neat cut not unlike what his brother wore. Not to mention his facial hair was gone now too. It was very handsome… Did I really just think that?

James sits down next to me and I note that he too is wearing a white bathrobe. I try to hide my blush as I realise that neither of us have anything on under our robes. I cross my legs in some sort of useless defense of modesty and tell myself that James and I are just friends.

"So," Graham says to Emma and the old man, "lunch and then we'll get to your plans."

Emma sits down with Graham on another couch and Gold takes the last couch with the old man. My stylist presses a button and the tops of the tables in front of the couches splits open and rises up second tabletops that hold our lunch. Chicken and chunks of oranges cooked in a creamy sauce laid on a bed of pearly white grain, tiny green peas and onions, rolls shaped like flowers, and for dessert, some sort of cake.

"Cheesecake?" I look up hopefully at Graham.

He smiles, "I did promise."

We all chat over our lunch, or more like everyone but Gold does, he was a very unsociable I've come to find. James picks the oranges off my plate after I try them and grimace at the flavour. Way too citrusy for my taste.

"You only hate it because it's not apples," James stabs the last orange with his fork and pops it into his mouth. "I swear those things will be the death of you one day."

"Yes, poison apples, _that's_ what they'll have in the arena," I roll my eyes.

"Careful where you say things like that," the old man warns. "You never know when the Gamemakers are listening and then next thing you know, you'll be in the arena pick an apple and then you're done for."

"Snow, this is Geppetto, my stylist," James introduces. "Geppetto, this is Snow White."

Geppetto grins, "Oh _this_ is the girl."

The look James gave his stylist was the same one Raul would give Paul before slapping him but James didn't touch the old man.

"So Emma, you have some ideas to bring to the table?" we overheard Graham saying, if I wasn't mistaken, it sounded like he was trying to flirt with her.

"Oh yes," Geppetto answered, "Emma is very talented. She came up with our whole idea for the Opening Ceremony. We are certainly going to, if you'll pardon the pun, _spark_ interest in our children this year."

"And how exactly will we be doing that?" Gold asks.

"Tell me, what do you do for a living in District Twelve?" Emma addresses us.

"Well Mister Nolan over here herds sheep, while Miss White robs Capitols and Upper Districts on the road," Gold interrupts.

At the mention of my thievery Geppetto looks shocked, Emma looks impressed and Graham looks disappointed that Gold has told the stylists about the thievery.

"I meant as a whole," Emma corrects.

"Coal mining," James answers.

"Right," Emma nods. "Now Geppetto and I have been talking with Mister Gold and Graham and we've decided that your outfits are going to match your strategy."

"Which is?" I press.

"You two are best friends, you are going to stick together during this whole thing," Gold reports. "Then you'll eliminate all the competition and the pair of you can decide who gets to live."

James and I look awkwardly at each other.

"The second part in this is that you both have very meaningful things about you," Geppetto explains. "Snow White the name brings images of winter and winter brings ideas of desperation which is what Capitols view District Twelve as. We want to present you as the fire of spring coming out of the winter."

"And what we're looking at you as James is a phoenix," Emma continues, "rising from the ashes of your brother's defeat is stronger more powerful contestant is born from the flames of foolish actions."

"I like the sound of that," James smiles.

"But I don't like how many times you are saying flames," Graham shifts in his seat. "What exactly are you going to do to them?"

It's then I notice that he's snuck an arm on the top of the couch Emma is sitting on. If she leans back he'll have his arm around her shoulder. Sneaky.

"Well, you set coal on fire so we're going to set them on fire," Emma casually replies.

Silence.

James and I burst out laughing; we nearly fall on the floor we're laughing so hard.

* * *

><p>We're not laughing as they help us into our outfits a few hours later. James is especially not laughing as they help him into the same outfit his brother wore at the Opening Ceremony last year. It's a red jacket with gold detailing, a white shirt underneath and black pants. I'm wearing a pure white, almost feathery dress, my hair is loose and done in waves. I'm a vision of purity according to Emma as she applies simple makeup to bring out my natural beauty.<p>

"You nervous?" Emma applies my mascara.

"Of you setting me on fire?" I say, "Nope!"

She laughs, "I know it's crazy but I've seen far too many District Twelve kids get killed because they didn't make the right first impression. You know I actually was a cop before this."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was deputy and then my commanding officer had a heart attack and died, so they offered me to become Sheriff."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"Because I thought being a stylist would bring a lot more justice than being a Sheriff, because I know at least one kid will be spared and returned to their family. I'm really hoping it's my kid every year, especially this year. I'm betting on you, Snow White the girl who was on fire."

Since David didn't have a cape on his outfit last year, they give both me and James a fluttering one made of streams of orange, yellow, and red as well as a matching headpiece. Geppetto and Emma plan on lighting them right before the chariot sets off.

"It's not real flame, of course, just a little synthetic fire I came up with. You'll be perfectly safe," Geppetto assures us.

Somehow that doesn't relieve my fears.

We're loaded into our chariot in the stables on the bottom floor of the Remake Center. Our chariot and team of horses are of course, coal black. Emma and Geppetto carefully arrange our body positions, the drape of our capes, before moving off to consult each other.

"What do you think?" I whisper to James. "About the fire?"

"I'll rip your cape off if you'll rip off mine," he says through gritted teeth.

"Deal," we laugh but it cuts off when we see the chariot next to us. The girl in a beautiful blue gown and pale blue flowers arranged in her done up hair, standing next to a boy in a brown and gold matching tunic and pants with the designs of flowers, berries and leaves in embroidery.

It's Ella and Thomas.

They're talking and laughing, they seem to be familiar with each other, almost like… like they were in love. Unfortunately The Hunger Games was no time to have romantic entanglements with your District partner.

They stop their conversation when Thomas spots James. They stare at each other for a few minutes and the opening music begins. District One's Kathryn Abigail and Doctor Whale- Err. _Doctrine_ Whale. Anyway, their carriage of snow white horses heads off first. I snort when I realise the irony that they have snow white horses, and Snow White gets coal black ones. The contestants are spray painted silver and are wearing tasteful tunics glittering in gems. I see James staring at her and I can't help but elbow him in the gut, though I don't know why.

James looks back at Thomas and they stare at each other, neither saying a word. It's only when District Ten heads out that James suddenly reaches under his shirt pulls off the golden locket and throws it to Thomas. The tribute from District Eleven catches it, puts it around his neck and sends James a grateful smile before they head off.

"Here we go then," Geppetto lights our capes and they catch on fire, there's no heat, only a faint tickling sensation.

Emma sighs in relief as Geppetto gets down, "It works."

"Remember," Geppetto says, "heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!"

Emma suddenly has an idea and shouts up at us gesturing as the music drowns her out.

"What is she saying?" I ask James.

"I think she wants us to hold hands," James grabs my hand and Emma gives us a thumbs up.

"Well she didn't need to ask," I smile and a strange, but happy, look passes over James. It's the same one that he has every once in a while when he's with me, a sort of dreamy smile, though I don't understand what it is. I was never good at reading expressions.

The crowd goes nuts. I'm sure that back at home Henry is jumping up and down at the sight of us while Ruth has a mini heart attack seeing us on fire. Everyone scrambles to find our names in the program but a few people remember that our last names are White and Nolan. Soon they're chanting James and Snow as they throw us flowers.

Someone throws me a red rose and I pick it up, smell it and then throw a kiss in the general direction it came from. At least a hundred hands reach up to catch it as if it were a real tangible thing. Girls scream out James' name, he had to have gotten at least ten marriage proposals in the last minute alone. He smiles and winks at a girl and she faints.

We hear someone say, "That's David Nolan's brother!"

Someone else replies, "Who cares about David when we have James!"

James can't help but beam as he throws our connected hands in the air. I move to let go so he can fist pump all he wants.

"Don't you dare let go of me," he whispers, "you're the only thing that's keeping me grounded."

We reach the Training Center, do one final lap and then disappear into the stables of our new home. The second the door shuts the prep teams descend on us. We're immediately extinguished and we can't help but notice the dirty glares we're getting. Except for District Eleven, Thomas gives us a thumbs up and Ella waves. We return the gestures.

"Well done you two," I can't tell if Mister Gold is talking to us or Geppetto and Emma, not that Emma would have heard, she's too busy celebrating.

"It worked! It worked! It _actually _worked!" She hugs me, then James and the Geppetto.

"Good work team," Graham approaches us unsuspecting and is suddenly engulfed in a hug by Emma who picks him up and spins him around. When she puts him down he has an a look not unlike the one James gets every now and then, "If I'd known that you would react that way to congratulations, I would have not stopped congratulating you from the moment we met."

I freeze, wait does that mean that- Well Graham does have a crush on Emma it seems. So that must mean that that look means-

No it couldn't be.

I look at James and he smiles at me.

Could it?

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p>

**Next Chapter:** Jealousy, training and the formation of an underdog pack.


	4. Chapter 4

Big announcement, after watching _Skin Deep_ I've not only decided to include Belle in the story but it has also given me the opportunity to continue with the whole Hunger Games Trilogy. So I will be writing _Once Upon A Catching Fire_ and _Once Upon A Mockingjay_. However, I can guarantee you that things will **not** be faithful to the final two books as the way things are casted and played. Certain things don't happen (particularly deaths) and other characters are loosely matched up.

The outfits in this chapter, for the training, James wears his signature white tunic and black pants from _Pilot_, Snow wears her white flower outfit from _The Heart is a Lonely Hunter_, Ella wears her blue nightgown like dress from when she's packing in _The Price of Gold_ and Thomas is wearing his brown hunting outfit from the same scene and episode.

**Update: Sorry guys, this isn't a new chapter but I was rereading the chapter and I came across a big mistake I had to fix. I had written that Snow had scarred James' left side of his chin but it really is his right side. To me it seems like a big enough mistake to reupload the chapter, sorry about the confusion.**

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game<span>

_Chapter 4_

James' POV

* * *

><p>"Did I do something wrong?" I finally get to ask Snow after she gave me the silent treatment all throughout dinner. Seriously, she barely even looked at me and when she did she either had a frown on her face or a blush.<p>

"No," she sounds distant, "I'm just tired."

"You mean the flesh and blood ball of energy that is Miss Snow White, has finally slowed down? Call a meeting of the Districts! Tell them that the Capitol wants to cancel the Hunger Games because the world has ended!"

She clocks me on the arm; she looks furious, "Don't say those things! Have you forgotten where we are? Do you want to get killed within the first ten minutes of the Game?"

I smirk at her, "Please, they aren't going to kill me that soon after the splash I made tonight."

"I?" she smirks back.

"We."

"That's correct." Our friendship seems to be back on its regular course when she asks, "Do you really think Graham has a hundred sponsors for us already?"

"Oh, probably. The question is how many of them will Gold let us use?"

Snow's smile falters and she mouths, "We shouldn't discuss that."

I frown; we had spent the entirety of the summer two years ago, learning to read lips and often communicated secretly using this method.

"Why not?" I mouth back.

She looks around and lips, "Because there's a camera on that wall over your shoulder."

Sure enough, on the sterile white wall my back had been facing, there is a round lens peeking out from along the top.

"Come with me," she speaks, grabbing my arm and begins pulling me down the hall.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"I want to show you something."

She leads me down several different hallways and through many different rooms going up several flights of stairs until we get to a small dome shaped room with a door. Opening the door, she reveals our location, the roof.

"There are benefits to being in District Twelve," she says as she secures the door behind us. "We get the top floor of the Training Center and thus, access to the roof."

The view astounds me, you can see the entire city from here and it's all lit up with strange signs and lights.

"How did you find this?" I ask.

"Emma showed me," she replies. "She said that no one ever comes up here as the wind gets quite loud at night."

So no one can her us, I can practically hear her end with.

"Aren't they afraid tributes might jump off the roof?" I ask.

She smirks at me and climbs onto the top of the rail.

"Snow?" I frown, what the hell does she think she's doing?

She sticks one foot out and delicately balances on the rail.

Oh God, she's going to jump.

"Snow! Don't!"

She jumps before I can stop her; I'm barely able to process it when suddenly her body jerks as if it has hit an invisible wall. There's a shock of electricity that outlines her body and she's thrown back from the edge. She lands right in my arms and the force of the throw, as well as the shock of electricity her body carries, causes my legs to buckle and we land on my back.

"Nice catch Charming," she smiles like a Cheshire.

"You gave me a heart attack!" I yell at my irresponsible friend as she pushes herself off my chest and brushes herself off.

"Oh please! It was the electricity."

I sigh, "Why did you bring me up here?"

She crosses her arms over her chest, "It's a little chilly up here, why don't we go to the garden? It'll break the wind a bit."

I understand her plan; the wind and plant life will make it harder for any hidden recording devices to monitor us. She leads me into a small clearing of the garden that is surrounded by bushes and we both sit cross legged.

"So what do you think?" she asks me.

I frown, "About what?"

She bursts out laughing, "Everything! The Games, the fire, the lack of scruff."

Her hand tousles my new haircut and I swat it away, "I miss the scruff. I look too much like David this way."

"Well you look very attractive."

I'm surprised, I never thought that Snow looked at David that way… or is it his twin she's more interested in?

"You found David attractive?" I cautiously ask.

"Well," she shrugs, "he was a looker."

"Oh," I grit my teeth. "So you had a crush on him?"

"Oh Charming, god no! Yes he was handsome, but personality wise, he was so not my type."

"And your type is?"

"None of your business," she grins at me.

A smile plays on my lips; maybe Snow does return my feelings.

No.

We're in the middle of The Hunger Games; this is not the right time or place, not when twenty-three people would to try to kill her within a matter of days. Twenty-two of those people would also be trying to kill me as well. One of them, a girl that really deserves the rewards, and a twenty-third person who is my best friend and secret crush.

And Thomas, the brother of the girl my brother died protecting in the last Games.

When did my life get so messed up?

"My father would have hated it here," Snow's voice breaks me from my thoughts. "The lights, the city, the noise. He was a simple man, simple but foolish."

"David must have loved it, he dreamed of places like this," I muse. "I bet he would have returned every year to watch the Games here."

"Did you think he would win?"

I sigh, "If there was anyone from District Twelve I thought would win, it would be David. I mean if he was killed, what chance do I have?"

"You'll have Mister Gold on your side," she reminds me.

"Right," I laugh, "because I'm clever enough to get his hints."

"You're a clever man James."

"I'm not clever."

"You were clever enough to catch me Charming." For a moment I swear she's talking about romantic feelings but that hope is dashed when she continues with, "Remember the day we met?"

"How could I forget?" I smirk, "The image of you dangling in that net, still acting like the tough little feisty thing you are, despite your predicament, still brings a smile to my face."

"Feisty am I?"

"Very."

"That was a memorable day."

I frown, "Snow? There's something that's been bugging ever since that day."

She looks interested, "And what's that?"

"Why did you rob _us_? Did we look Capitol? Or had we done something to you?"

"You had a lot of sheep."

I balk at her, "Sheep?"

"The more sheep a farm can support and the more people who live in a house with that many animals, plants and land, the richer they seemed to me. You must have had a hundred sheep at the time, not to mention there were four of you living off that farm. I thought I had hit the jackpot," she explains.

"We still had to apply for tesserae."

"Well I know that _now_, but at the time I thought that I was going to be able to support my family for months. I thought that I would wait until you four had gone to market, and then I would break in, go through your drawers, take your valuables, grab a sheep or two and get the hell out of there. I didn't expect that you would come back for your coat and all I would be able to grab was a ring."

"And hit me in the face with a rock, when I tried to stop you, permanently scarring the right side of my chin. You really didn't have morals that day."

"Oh I did, but Henry was sick, we were out of food and Father couldn't work for three months after paralysing his hand the mines," she reminds me. "I thought you four were well off. It didn't even occur to me that I was so wrong."

I sigh, "We had to give half the flock to the Capitol the next month when we couldn't make our payments."

"No one's well off when the Capitol is born with silver spoon in their mouths, shaking golden rattles filled with diamonds. Me struggling to take care of my disabled father and my seven year old brother, while your father starts prepping your brother to get a dowry as you and your mother slave every day on that farm." She surprises me when she suddenly laughs. "Were we really just twelve at the time?"

"And now Henry's that age," I point out.

"We fought for our lives at that age and now they tried to make Henry do the same thing. James, I'm sorry, but I can't lose this. Henry doesn't have anyone but me, if you lost, we would take care of your mother-"

"And we would take care of him if you lost."

"What if we both lose?" there's desperation in her voice and tears shining in her eyes, which can barely hold them back. "I have to go back to him."

"This whole thing is just sick," my face hardens, "we fight to the death for their _entertainment_. I just keep wishing that I could think of a way to show them that they don't own me. If I'm going to die, I want to still be me. Not David, not their puppet, not Henry's sacrifice. Me. James Nolan."

I can't even describe the look in her eyes, "I just can't afford to think like that."

We sit in silence for a while, there's not much either of us can say. Henry has lost both his parents while my mother has lost her husband and her son, neither could stand losing either of us and if they lost both of us-

"They would never recover," Snow finishes my thought out loud as if she read my mind.

Read my mind.

"Gold!" I gasp.

"What about him?" she frowns.

"Snow, I know we both said that we'd never trust Gold if we were reaped, but come on, he participated in the year when there was twice as many contestants, and he _won_. The only way either of us are going to get out of here alive is if we listen to him."

Snow ponders this for a moment, sighs, giving in, "Alright, for Henry and Ruth."

"For Henry and Ruth."

And we shake on it.

* * *

><p>"So how exactly did you two end up living together?" Graham asks us over breakfast the next morning. "Are you two engaged, or something?"<p>

Snow spits her orange juice across the table, unfortunately onto Gold, and winces. We're alone with him and Graham as our stylists are finalizing some last details on our training outfits. This is odd as we're never even filmed during our training, but as Geppetto pointed out, the nicer the outfit could earn us more points during our test.

"It's alright dearie," Gold gets one of the servants to help mop up. "But, yes, what is your relationship? If we're working the partners angle, we need to know the extent of your relationship. Are you best friends? Enemies? Frenemies? Star-crossed lovers?"

He jerks up the towel to cover his face as Snow chokes one her drink again, but she doesn't make a mess this time.

"Friends!" she exclaims, giving up on the juice. "Only friends!"

"_Only_ friends?" he looks at me.

"_Best _friends," I don't meet his eyes as I'm afraid I might give away my secret, this was not the time or place. Then again, due to circumstances, I no longer believe there's _ever_ a time or place.

"Then how did you end up living together?" Graham asks again. "According to your census files, the two of you, along with James' mother and Snow's brother are considered a family unit."

"My father was on his deathbed at the reaping when I was 15," Snow began to explain.

"And you both are 17 now," Gold clarifies.

"Correct," Snow nods. "Anyway, Father was very sick and couldn't go to the reaping. So Ruth, James' mother, watched Henry for me as he wasn't eligible yet. After the reaping, she came home with us to take care of us until the illness ran its course. Unfortunately, he passed away a week later."

Snow's voice breaks, so I continue on for her, "Mother helped prepare the funeral, spending half her time with Snow and Henry and the other half at home. After a long discussion we agreed that I would move into David's room and Henry and Snow would take my mine. We brought them home after the funeral and became classified as a family unit. Snow here tried to thank us the next year by taking my parents' tesserae for them instead of David and I each taking one."

"Unfortunately Charming here didn't get the memo and had already signed up for himself and his mother, so instead I took Charming's father and David's. Charming was furious," Snow glares at me; we had never really brought closure to that fight.

"Lot of help it brought David," I bitterly add, "it didn't stop him from being reaped that year."

"Charming?" Gold looks at me.

"What?" I frown.

"She called you Charming," Gold replies.

"Oh, yeah," Snow laughs, "it's my nickname for him. Prince Charming. It's nothing really."

Graham and Gold look at each other and I suddenly am fascinated in my stack of pancakes. When I look up Gold is staring at me, the look on his face tells me that he knows.

"So you're a Prince Charming?" Gold asks. "Interesting."

If I were a Prince Charming, I would have the courage to tell Snow how I feel.

"Snow?" I look up at her and Gold looks surprised as well as highly interested.

"Yeah?" she looks at me.

I am Prince Charming.

"I need-"

She looks so beautiful.

"I need-"

She's so kind, clever, loving and thoughtful.

"I need-"

That's why she needs to go home.

"I need the syrup," I end. "Can you pass it?"

As she passes the syrup, I meet Gold's eyes.

"I'm no Prince Charming," I tell him.

Though I wish I was.

* * *

><p>I am Prince Charming.<p>

At least that's how I appear in the mirror as Geppetto packs up his odds and ends from dressing me. I wear a white tunic with large white sleeves and a pair of pants that are all black. The pants I figure are made of leather, not that I could tell, most of my clothing was made of sheep hide and wool. In fact, most everything my family owned was sheep in some way.

"It will impress the girl, no?" Geppetto smiles warmly at me, he figured out my crush on Snow before he had even met me.

"I hope so," I smooth my shirt and try to look dashing. "Geppetto, can I ask you something?"

"Anything my boy."

"How did you figure out my feelings for Snow?"

"It was the tape of your reapings, the reaction you had to her reaping," he replies.

"But they didn't show my face until I volunteered," I frown.

"Graham had showed Emma and I a different version which included many close ups of you."

"And you could tell from that?"

"It was your eyes as she was called up," he tells me. "That fear, sadness and loss read more than just a man who was losing his best friend. It was the look of a man who watched a noose being put around the neck of the woman he loved."

I bite my lip and twist my mother's ring on my finger, "I waited so long to tell her, I imagined that somehow we would make it through unselected and then I would confess my feelings. She would reciprocate them and we would date for a while. Then one day I would give her this ring, my mother's ring, and we would live happily ever after. Now, it's too late, now it'll never happen."

"Never say never, my boy."

I can't help but smile, the way he keeps calling me _my boy_ reminds me of mother and comforts me. The two of them are so alike, I make it a mental note that if I get out of there, to introduce Geppetto to my mother.

"It's impossible," I dismiss. "We're never going to both get out of there alive.

"Anything is possible," Geppetto places a hand on my shoulder, "you must never give up hope. Remember, love conquers all, even death."

"Thank you," I smile and then my smile drops as I remember something, or rather _someone_.

Thomas.

* * *

><p>I had completely forgotten about Thomas.<p>

I'm barely registering what Gold and Graham are saying to us as Snow and I stand with them in the elevator going down to the training floor. Snow was looking very attractive in a pure, flower embroidered, almost virginal looking dress and cape.

What was I going to do about Thomas? He seemed friendly and it would just look bad to the audience if we didn't acknowledge what our siblings had done. Doing the exact same thing was another story. Let's be honest, it was a good partnership, but it was grieving Alexandra that ended up getting David killed. Would watching Thomas' back end up with a sword in mine, like it did my brother? What if Thomas wanted revenge? No, he didn't, our brief encounters had proved that already. But what if he had been acting?

Then there was the Snow factor, our plan is to stick by each other's side during the Opening Ceremony, the Training, the Interviews and the Game. I'm fine with that, she is my best friend and we work well together. If we didn't, we never would have defeated those trolls. We aren't going to show anyone our strengths as we don't want the competition to figure out how to beat us. Snow and I are both very skilled with swords, archery and riding (like there's going to be horses, but still). I am good at herding, tracking and have a high tolerance to fire thanks to Snow (long story). She's good at hand to hand combat, sleight of hand and general forest survival. As a team we would be good, but could we use another member or two? The Careers would be making a group, so maybe we can form some sort of underdog team.

"So the two of you are alright with not being coached separately?" Gold clarifies one last time.

"Right," Snow nods and looks at me, "we have no secrets from each other."

I can't meet her eyes.

"Alright," Gold smiles at us, "it's time, go beat some upper Districts."

"But not literally!" Graham exclaims as when go to enter the training floor, but Gold stops me.

"If there's anything you want to tell me, anything at all, don't be afraid. Remember that it could mean the difference between life and death." Gold looks me right in the eyes, "Your brother was an idiot, but that doesn't mean you have to be."

I step back from him, "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

><p>"Finally! Lunch!" Snow and I collapse at a table when the break starts; you can already tell teams are forming based on who sits at which table.<p>

I look at the table of Careers, the girl from Two sits there regally, like a Queen holding court. Regina, if I remember correctly, sits with her District partner to one side and Kathryn to another. Kathryn is laughing with Whale when I catch her eye. She smiles and waves at me in a way that if I didn't know better, looked flirtatious. I awkwardly smile and wave back but stop when I catch Snow's glare.

"Do you want to get killed?" Snow growls. "Flirt with a Career and you will."

"Really? By you or her?" I ask and she freezes for a second at the implication.

Luckily the awkward moment is broken when someone asks, "Are these seats taken?"

We look up to see Ella and Thomas, golden locket shining around his neck, holding lunch trays and awkwardly waiting to sit. Instantly we both tell them to sit down, our exact words mottled in the words of the other and pulling a couple seats out for the pair.

Ella's wearing a blue almost nightgown looking dress while Thomas wears a sort of brown suit that one would wear hunting.

"Thanks," Thomas sits down after pushing in Ella's chair for her. "We haven't really met properly, I'm Thomas Herman and this is my best friend, Ella Boyd."

"Pleased to meet you," Snow replies, "I'm Snow White and this is James Nolan."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you James," Thomas extends a hand.

I shake it, "Pleasure is all mine, though it's not the way I would have picked to meet you."

"It seems silly doesn't it?" Ella smiles, "Trying to make friends with people you have to fight to the death."

"Well it's how you survive," Thomas pointed out. "Alexandra never would have made it to third place if she hadn't befriended David."

"That was a horrible month," Ella picks at her food, "we actually thought that Alexandra had a chance of winning."

"Yeah," I agree, "I kinda expected that David and Goliath would have killed each other and Alexandra remain standing in the dust."

"More like laying," Thomas corrects.

"It really sucked to see that another District Two won," Snow comments, "he didn't need the rewards."

"Well, truthfully, my family is pretty well off," Thomas confesses.

"Really?" Snow starts.

"As well as you can get in District Eleven anyway," Thomas shrugs. "What about you James? How's your family?"

"Well, Snow and I actually live together, as friends," I make sure to add on, "and we pretty much survive day to day, though we do have an extra tessera."

Ella frowns, "How did you manage that?"

I clear my throat, "My father actually died a couple months after last year's Games."

Ella gasps, "I'm so sorry."

"He isn't," Snow snorts.

Thomas raises a brow at me, "Really?"

"I was less his son and more the hired help, but without the paycheck," I confess. "You wouldn't know what that was like."

Ella smirks, "Try me."

I meet her look but she just shrugs and goes back to her food.

"So Thomas," Snow says, "your sister was how old when she was reaped?"

Thomas replies, "12, she was actually born on the day of the reapings, so she was_ just_ 12 years."

"Wow," Snow cuts her meat, "Henry was lucky to be born on-"

But we're cut off by a loud laugh at the Career table and as I glare at them, I notice everyone else at my table is too.

"Wouldn't you just love for a Career not to win one year?" Snow's cold gaze is on Kathryn.

"A what?" Ella frowns.

"It's what we call people from Districts One, Two and Four, the ones who train their whole lives," I explain.

"Snow's right," Thomas looks at us, "it would be nice if one year the victor wasn't one of those, what did you call them, Careers?"

"And you know it would only take what, four other skilled contestants to bring them down?" Ella says.

Then it hits us.

"You know, Snow and I are pretty skilled in some areas," I grin at the other Cheshires.

"And I'm sure Ella and I can help you in others," Thomas replies.

"I think we have a deal," Snow tells us.

"I think we do," Ella nods.

So the three people I didn't want to kill were going to work with me, the man my brother tried to save the sister of, the girl that needed the rewards and the woman I loved.

But what happens when it's just the four of us?

* * *

><p>"I don't think I can do it," Thomas tells me as we practice camouflage a few days later while the girls practice climbing.<p>

"Do what?" I ask. "Hey. I'm getting the hang of this."

"What do we do if it's just the four of us?" he whispers. "James, I can't kill Ella."

"I know, killing your best friend is unimaginable, but-"

"We're not best friends. It's more than that."

I slowly place the pot of paint on the table and stare at him, "What is it then?"

His voice is barely above a whisper, "Ella and I have been secretly dating for a year."

I felt as if someone slapped me, "What? You and Ella? Oh God."

"I know."

"Why is it a secret?"

"My father thinks she's beneath me," he explains. "You can't imagine what it's like for your father to despise the girl you're in love with."

"Oh I can imagine," I can't help but look at Snow who climbing ropes with Ella, the blonde seemed incredibly good at it.

I look back at Thomas who has a confused expression on his face; he keeps looking back and forth between Snow and I.

Then his eyes go wide.

Thomas looks as if someone has slapped _him_, "What? You and Snow? Oh God."

"I know," I look at her.

"Does she?"

"Does she what?"

"Does she know how you feel?"

"Oh God no!" I have to restrain myself from exclaiming.

"Why not?" Thomas' question surprises me, causing me to pause. With all these strangers figuring it out so quickly, how could Snow have not realised my feelings for her over the past two years? (I had figured out my feelings two years again, but I'm pretty sure that I fell for her the second she dubbed me Prince Charming).

I open my mouth to respond, but I don't really know my answer. Luckily we're saved by the clock chiming the top of the hour.

"You're with Snow at knife throwing and Ella's at hand to hand combat," I remind Thomas. He goes to leave when I grab his arm, "Not a word to her."

"Alright," he puts his hands up, "but know this, if Ella and I are going to die, I'm much happier that she'll die knowing my love."

With that, he heads off to the knife throwing station where Snow is already standing.

Gold was happy that we had made friends but warned us not to make it obvious to the others, so we had been mixing and matching the past few days. Ella and I at one station with Snow and Thomas at another, then next time it was Thomas, Snow and I at one station and Ella at another. Sometimes we each would be at a different station and other times we would all be at the same station, this also allowed us to figure out what combinations at which skills worked.

But I had acquired another friend it seems.

"Kathryn," I greet the District One girl as I select my bow and arrows. I know Gold had said not to touch them but we had already agreed that I was going to show my sword skills to the Gamemakers. Plus it wouldn't hurt if it appeared that I was really bad at using the bow so it would throw my competition off.

"James," Kathryn struggles with a rather large bow.

"You okay there?"

"Oh, I'm just not very good with the bow, but you never know what you're going to find in the arena. Do you think you can help me?"

I bite back a yes and play the fool saying that I knew nothing. We both listen to the instructor and start practicing, I try to fake being a disaster, but I can't manage doing less than adequate with a bow. Kathryn on the other hand is struggling greatly.

"Here," I finally offer, "let me help."

"You're not that great with it, how do you expect to help me?" Kathryn scoffed.

"You would do pretty well if you worked on your form, here let me show you."

I help her improve and it's only as I'm helping her get her third bullseye in a round that I remember that I might be teaching someone the skill in which they would kill me.

When I finally tell her that I'm done teaching her, she turns to me and bats her eyes as she begins to flirt.

"You're very strong, James," she rests a hand on my arm.

"Thank you," I'm not sure exactly what to do.

"You know you would be very good to ally with. You know, a couple of us are forming a little… a little group to start the game off with. I think, if you wanted, I could talk Regina into letting you join us."

I'm speechless, is this girl really flirting with me _and_ inviting to be part of the Career Pack? It's too much.

"Um, wow," I manage, "I will think about it."

"You do that," she strokes my chin where Snow had scarred me all those years ago, "and I'll think of you."

She sways her hips as she walks away.

I frown in confusion, then shake my head and look at Snow.

It's been a long time since I had seen Snow that angry, she's whipping the knives at the dummies, no doubt imaging that they were either myself or Kathryn.

I don't understand, doesn't Snow not know my feelings about her? If so, why hadn't she figured it out yet? I guess they did say love was blind.

Or maybe…

Maybe Snow did know my feelings, and maybe she felt the same way but stopped herself from expressing them. Or maybe she knew and didn't feel the same way.

And Kathryn, a beautiful woman offering me to be part of the Career Pack and who knows what else, could I just turn that down?

And Thomas, he knows my true feelings and we feel as if we owe each other something on behalf of our deceased siblings.

Ella, a girl who deserved the rewards. Gold, a creepy but helpful man we had to trust out lives with. Emma and Geppetto, crazy but knew what they were doing. Graham, hated his job but wanted to see us survive. Mother, lost her son and husband already, I couldn't make her lose her last son. Henry, whom I promised to fight for.

Snow. Kathryn. Thomas. Ella. Gold. Graham. Emma. Geppetto. Henry. Mother. Father. David. Alexandra. District Eleven and Twelve Pact. Career Tributes Pack.

I want to scream, I want to cry, I want to kill, I want to die.

What am I supposed to do?

The bell rings for the half hour mark and Thomas and Ella signal me to follow them to their station while Kathryn waves at me.

Snow is standing at her last station, just staring at me.

I know what I have to do.

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p>

**Next Chapter:** A slap, a song and Snow realizes the truth.


	5. Chapter 5

There are people who are wondering when Belle shows up in the story, my answer is that she is going to show up in Chapter Seven. And I know, I promised some people that Chapter Seven will be a Rumplestiltskin POV chapter, but after some reflection of the content of Chapter Seven, I have decided to change it to Belle's POV. Please note that it means the chapter will be the same at heart but this change is mainly due to the fact that Rumplestiltskin's relationship with Belle (past and present) cannot be properly expressed from his POV. Well, that and I want to add a fantastic bit where Belle yells at Graham as Rumple comes in halfway through the yelling, then precedes to stand in the background and smirk.

Well, enough spoilers for the future chapters and on with the show!

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game <span>

_Chapter 5_

Snow's POV

* * *

><p>I whip my knives into the target imagining that it's Kathryn's face. If anyone gets to kill Kathryn, I want to have the pleasure. But I wouldn't do it with a knife, no, I'd take a bow, load an arrow onto it and show her perfect archery form which ended with my arrow right between her eyes.<p>

When did I get this violent?

Sure I was an aggressive person, I scarred James on our first meeting and broke Graham's nose, but in those cases it was so I could escape the men.

"You might want to take it easy," Thomas tells me.

But I whip around and point my knife at him, "No you might want to take it easy, or you'll end up with this in your back ten minutes into the game!"

I turn back to the dummy and show it no mercy.

Catching the sight of James out of the corner of my eye, I see that he's very confused. About what though? If anyone should be confused, it should be me. Why was I so angry? James had the right to flirt with whomever he wanted. It's none of my business. Even if it was with the nag with the bad attitude.

But it feels like my business, it feels like someone rips my heart out of my chest every time he touches her. And those looks he always gave me, what were they about? It was the same kind of look of longing Graham gave Emma (though she never notices).

James was always so protective of me and I of him. He makes me feel like no one else does, even when things were wrong. He makes things feel right.

I stare at him as he looks between Thomas, Kathryn and I. He sighs and heads off towards Thomas and Ella and I head to my next station, plant identification.

I know most of it already, Father liked to show me the different plants in the forest, so I allow my mind to wander a bit as it tries to sort out my feelings.

"You there. Which of these berries would you pick if you saw them in the wild?" the instructor offers Doctor Whale one innocent looking brown berry and one vibrant sickly looking red one.

"The brown one," Whale picks.

"And now you're dead," I mutter.

Everyone looks at me and the instructor speaks, "And why's that, Twelve?"

"The brown one is a berry called nightlock which will kill you instantly if consumed," I explain. "The red one is called waterpod and a single berry gives you enough water for three days."

"Very good," the instructor smiles, "now the most important thing to remember…"

I drown her words out and watch James tie knots with our friends. Was it possible I had been jealous of Kathryn? It couldn't be… could it?

The instructor is shows us blackberries and a memory hits me.

* * *

><p><em>One lazy afternoon James and I were sitting under a tree on the riverbank a month after David had died. It was at the time when Charming's father, George, was seriously threatening to throw out Henry and myself. Charming sat against the tree and I lied in his lap as we ate the blackberries we had found that morning in the forest.<em>

"_He'll never throw you out," James told me as I popped another berry in my mouth. "Mother won't let him."_

"_I know," I replied, "besides where would we go? The Capitol would place me and Henry in homes."_

"_Or we could trade my father Henry for me and the two of us could take off into the forest."_

"_I see your father taking that deal. But the two us living in the forest together-"_

"_We could do it you know. Take off, live in the woods," James said._

"_They'd catch us," I frowned._

"_Well maybe not."_

"_We wouldn't make it five miles."_

"_I bet we could make it all the way to District Five."_

"_And do what? Say, hey, we know nothing about your District, but we were totally born here so can you give us a job? Even if they bought that, your brother is too famous for you to blend in."_

"_Hence the woods," he pointed out._

_I laugh, "We'd be lonely."_

_He held my cheek, "Not as long as we have each other. If I was only able to see one face every day for the rest of my life, I'd pick you in a heartbeat."_

_I snuggled back into his arms, I never felt more protected or safe than I felt in his arms, "And I'd pick you."_

* * *

><p>Son of a witch! Had I really missed it this whole time? I just can't believe it and yet it's so clear.<p>

I, Snow White, am in love with James Nolan.

* * *

><p>"So when are you going to tell him?" Ella asks me as we do our last station for the day, which also happens to be the last one of the week before the game.<p>

"Oh yes, a few days before I have to kill my best friend, I confess my secret love for him. That won't be painful in the least," I roll my eyes.

"Well, why not? The worst that could happen is that he turns you down."

"Oh, I can imagine much worse things, especially if the Doc gets a hold of this information," I shudder only imagining the horrors the head Gamemaker could inflict.

"It might get you sponsors," Ella points out.

"Is that the angle you and Thomas are going for?"

"No! Fairie says it's too dangerous."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Oh that's different!" she exclaims. "I don't mean make it a factor in the game, just at least tell him."

"No," I shake my head.

"Fine, but just think about this, if you die in this game, do you want to die not having told him your feelings?"

I watch James as he practices making a fire with the District Five boy, Billy Woodsman, the boy has made a really big fire that, in the game, would scream please come and kill me.

"What if he doesn't feel the same way?" I dare to ask.

Ella snorts.

I turn on her, "You think this is funny?"

"No," she laughs, "it's just, he's _so_ into you that I'm actually shocked that you never figured it out."

"I'm really bad with emotions," I stare at James. A smile creeps on my face, "Are you sure he's in love with me?"

"Positive," Ella replies. "If there's anyone in this game you can trust, it'll be James. He'll _never_ betray you."

James looks up and our eyes lock, he sends me a dashing smile and I feel my heart melt. How could I have been so blind?

"Alright," I say. "I'll tell him tonight."

* * *

><p>Screwing the lid back on the tube of lip gloss, I'm finally satisfied with my appearance. Looking in the mirror, I feel a bit of pride, I've never really worn makeup much less applied it, but I figure I haven't done too bad a job.<p>

"The trick to makeup is to look like you aren't really wearing any," Emma had told me as she applied it for the opening ceremony.

I observe my reflection in the mirror, my long wavy hair is as black as the night sky, my skin as white as snow and my lips as red as blood. My mother had told me that nine months before I was born, she had been sewing on a cold winter's night and pricked her finger. When the blood fell on the snow she had liked to combination of the blood, sky and snow and wished that she gave birth to a daughter with lips, hair and skin of those colours. Personally I think she made it up, but I loved the way she had told the story.

I sigh, I miss my mother, she was the sweetest and kindest person I had ever known and she loved her family with everything she had. She looked almost exactly like me, I think that it sometimes made Father upset, but Henry and I were the center of his world after she died giving birth to Henry.

Even though I was only five when it happened, I had such vivid memories of her. She was so full of love, love for her family, for her friends, for her work, for life itself. Believe it or not she had been friends with Ruth when they were children. After they had turned 18, life unfortunately forced them to drift apart, but they never forgot each other.

You could only imagine the surprise Ruth had when she discovered that the twelve year old who had robbed and scarred her son was the daughter of her childhood best friend.

Running the brush through my hair I begin to hum to myself a song my mother used to sing right before bed. Mother was one of those people who believed you should brush your hair one hundred times every day, so every night she would tell me a story as she brushed my hair. It didn't matter which story it was, it was always my favourite time of day and it ended the same way every night. Mother would run the brush through my hair one last time as my Father smiled, leaning against the doorframe watching us, and then she would tuck me in and sing the song.

_Mirror, mirror, on the wall._

_Who's the fairest of them all?_

_She for whom the sun has shined._

_She, the one who is good and kind._

_She who knows what is wrong and right._

_She, my precious little Snow White._

It had been a long time since I thought of the song, two years in fact.

I had last sung it to Henry as I tucked him in bed on the first night we had come to live with James and his family.

* * *

><p>"<em>Sing me a song," Henry asked, it had been a long time since he had asked me to sing to him. Usually I had just read my ten year old brother, a story from the book I had given him, a book called <em>Once Upon A Time.

"_Sing to you?" I frowned, "Wouldn't you rather a story?"_

"_No," he shook his head, "Dad loved your voice, it always made him smile and think of Mom. He said the first thing he would do when he met Mom in the next life was have her sing to him. I want you to sing to me like Mom's singing to Dad."_

_I smiled and decided to sing the song I know Mother would be singing to Father, but it was a version I knew that she would have picked instead._

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall._

_Who's the fairest of them all?_

_They for whom the sun has shined._

_They, who are strong, good and kind._

_They who know what is wrong and right._

_They, my precious little Henry and Snow White."_

_I looked back at my little brother, smiled and kissed his forehead, "Dream today of our happily ever after Henry and tomorrow we will make it come true."_

_I sighed, looked up and was surprised. Leaning against the doorframe, watching us like Father had once watched Mother and I, and later Henry and I, was James._

* * *

><p>I can't believe I had never realised my feelings for him before this and all it took was being forced to try and kill him…<p>

Fate's a bit of a bitch.

There's a knock on the door.

"Come in," I call smoothing a loose hair down.

In walks Graham and he stops short at the sight of me.

"Is there a Hunger Games thing I forgot about?" Graham looks confused.

I frown and look down at my clothing, "No."

"Then what's with the makeup?" Graham asks.

"Oh, nothing… I just- I just wanted to look nice, that's all," I refuse to meet his eye.

Graham grins, "So?"

"So what?" I ask.

"Oh please! It took Emma an hour and a half to convince you to wear makeup for the Opening Ceremony, now you're putting it on yourself? What's going on?"

I blush, Emma is the only one I really trust around here other than James but something about Graham's look makes me relax. It's almost like he understands my pain. And besides, I haven't talked about it with anyone other than Ella

I find that it all just sort of falls out, "I think I'm in love with James. I know, it's not smart to be in love with your District partner but he's my best friend. And besides I'm not the only one, Ella and Thomas are together and they're much farther along in their relationship than James and I. But then there's the whole Kathryn flirting with him and he's clearly attracted to her. I mean what if he doesn't return my feelings? Or what if he does and I end up having to kill him? Or he has to kill me? Or what if he takes advantage of my feelings and betrays me? What if he turns against me before the Games? What should I do?"

Despite my hurried ramblings, Graham surprises me by having understood all of it, "I think you should go for it."

"What?"

"I think you should go for it. Look, I know I haven't known the two of you for very long but every time that boy looks at you, all I see is love. Not to mention that last year David called James _a man who was slapped across the face with his lovesickness_ and always referred to you as _the girl my brother's in love with._"

I smile brightly, "Really?"

He returns the smile, "Really."

"But the Games-"

"Forget the Games, you love him, right?"

"Right," I nod.

"Wouldn't it kill you if he died not knowing your feelings?" Graham asks.

I pause, "You know you're the second person today who's asked me that."

"Well, maybe it's a sign. My point is that I know the pain of living every day without telling the one you love, your feelings and it's a pain I would wish on no one."

I smirk in understanding, "You like Emma, don't you?"

He starts, he wasn't expecting it, "How did you know?"

"Look, I know I haven't known the two of you for very long but every time that you look at Emma, all I see is love," I echo his words. "Why don't you tell her?"

Graham smiles, "Why don't you tell James?"

I look away.

"How's about this? Tonight, after dinner, I'll tell Emma my feelings if you tell James yours."

"But Rumplestiltskin-"

"Let me deal with him." Graham looks around and then leans forward to whisper in my ear, "Besides, he knows all too well the pain of having to withhold his feelings."

I frown, I have no idea what Graham was talking about, I'd never heard anything involving Rumplestiltskin having a romantic life, but anything was possible. Maybe it was the cause of his drinking, lifestyle and general… well, to be blunt, his general creepiness. If that was what not admitting your feelings led to, I wanted no part of it.

"Okay, deal."

Graham and I shake on it.

* * *

><p>There are hushed voices in the dining room as Graham and I enter it; Gold, Emma, Geppetto and James are huddled together.<p>

I catch the word Kathryn when Emma notices Graham and I.

"You're here!" she says much too loudly and everyone breaks apart sitting up straight. Emma starts at the sight of me in utter surprise, "And you look nice."

"Uh… thank you," I frown at Graham and he shrugs, pulling out my chair next to James.

I sit down and instantly notice that James looks uncomfortable but wave it off. He hates being alone with Gold, that must be his problem.

Dinner is a delicious lamb stew with dried plums on a bed of rice; it's the best thing I've ever tasted. However that's the most enjoyable thing during this dinner because there's a general atmosphere of uncomfortableness throughout.

I notice that Graham casually flirts with Emma and although she understands what's going on, she's not exactly receiving it as well as she usually does. I too try my hand at flirting, but with James rather than Emma. I've never really flirted before so I'm not sure how good I am at it, whether I'm being too subtle or too bold. It doesn't matter though, James seems very distracted and uncomfortable, in fact, everyone does.

I look over at Emma when they clear the dessert dishes, but she avoids my eye. Frowning, I look over at Graham, he's as confused as me but we silently agree to not let it ruin our plans.

"So, should we get to discussing the plans for the Skills Showcase tomorrow?" Graham suggests.

"Uh…" Emma looks over at James who has his head down.

"What?" Graham frowns.

"I think you should tell them Charming," Gold suggests, everyone looks very awkward, even Geppetto won't look at me.

"What's going on?" I look at James.

He finally looks up at me, he has a very apologetic look on his face, "Well, Snow, you see, due to a very appealing offer from Kathryn Abigail, I'm afraid I'm going to have to break off our previous arrangement and begin to be coached separately."

I stare slack jawed at James.

SLAP!

* * *

><p>I stand at the rail on the roof terrace, the tears stream down my face, as I stare unseeing, at the city below.<p>

"The good news is that the ice is bringing down the swelling on his cheek," I hear Graham behind me.

I don't look back, "What's the bad news?"

"I think you know the answer."

He comes to a stop next me and leans against the rail, "Are you okay?"

I look at him, "I think you know the answer."

My fingers play with the mockingjay necklace around my neck as I try to withhold my sobs.

"What's that?" Graham looks at the necklace.

"It's my final happy memory," I explain. "I used to sell the things I robbed the Upper Districts of to this group of trolls. After seeing what happened to David, I decided to introduce James to the Trolls in case I was reaped. Unfortunately, things went wrong and I ended up having to use the fairy dust this used to hold to turn the Trolls into insects to save James' life after he saved mine. We really did work well together and I really thought that… You ever walk into a situation, where you know exactly what's going to happen and then you go into it anyway. And then, when what you're afraid of happens, you kick yourself. Because you should've known better. But that's just who you are. It's like you're punishing yourself."

"How do you think I feel watching every Tribute I've ever escorted, get killed?"

"Why do these things happen?"

"I guess it's to show us that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger."

The tears blur my vision, for having only realized my feelings a few hours ago, my heart had become remarkably broken. I'm just numb, everything I ever wanted is gone, my mother, my father, my home, James, even Henry because I know if I go home, I would return a shell of what I used to be.

"I don't even care anymore," I whisper.

I grasp my necklace, undo the clasp and pull it from my neck. I want to break it; this is the one thing I have left that is mine, even if I stole it from Regina. I want to shatter it into a thousand tiny pieces like the Capitol shattered my life, like James shattered my heart, like everyone's shattered my will to live. I want to be the one in control for once.

"No," Graham grabs my head.

My eyes widen as they meet his.

"Gold isn't the only one who can read people," Graham explains. "Don't do it, don't break it, it's all you have left."

"That's the whole point," I wretch my arm from his grasp. "This will take all of my feelings. All of my pain and destroy them."

"No."

"Why? You of all people should understand. You've lost love. And don't tell me otherwise, I know that Emma wasn't responding to any of your flirting. What if your pain could be erased?"

"I don't want my pain erased. As wretched as it is, I need my pain. It makes me who I am." Graham sighs, "Look at you, Snow. You truly are the fairest one of them all. You've spent your whole life protecting everyone but you forgot to protect yourself."

"The only thing that needed protecting is destroyed. My heart," a tear slides down my cheek.

"You know the mockingjay is known for being able to adapt from any hardship and come out stronger from it." Graham wipes away the tear and pulls my hair aside, places the necklace back around my neck and does the clasp, "Be the mockingjay Snow White, the girl who was on fire and don't let that flame go out."

I throw my arms around Graham and he holds tightly to me as I finally let flow the tears from everything that has happened to me. From my mother's death, my father's death, my reaping, Henry's reaping, James volunteering, supporting my family, being forced to fight for my life, James breaking my heart, Kathryn stealing him from me, never seeing my feelings until now.

But most of all, I cry because I realise that I'll never love anyone else.

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p>

**Next Chapter: **Talents, tempers and _way_ too many flashbacks to be legal.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm very sorry for this chapter but it is mostly flashbacks that slow the story down and filler, but I found that I needed to have James' point of view with this group of events and to slightly reveal his intentions so it is a necessary evil.

Important Note: Something went wrong with my computer and somehow the names Ella, David and Mary have turned into James. I tried to catch them all, but I'm sorry if I missed one and caused confusion.

**Warning: Snow swears in this chapter. **_**A lot**_**. Not the normal **_**Once Upon A Time **_**'what the hell is this?' or my 'son of a witch' type swearing. Rather some naughty words involving female dogs and references to the world's oldest profession. I apologize in advance if it offends you.**

* * *

><p><span>Once Upon a Hunger Game <span>

_Chapter 6_

James' POV

* * *

><p>By the next morning I find that three things have happened. One, the swelling on my cheek from Snow's slap has gone down. Two, Graham has taken Emma's place as Snow's most trusted member of the prep team. And three, things are awkward between Geppetto and I as he readies me for my Skills Showcase.<p>

"You've been working on me for half an hour and have yet to do that fatherly criticism thing where you scold me gently. What's wrong?" I ask the oddly silent Geppetto.

He has an angry frown, "I am very disappointed in your actions last night."

"Hey, you know why I did it. I have a plan."

"Did it ever occur to you that in order to enact out the plan, you might be using her?"

"A little, but she'll understand in the end."

"Will she?" he asks.

I sigh, I honestly don't know.

* * *

><p>If I thought things were awkward between Snow and I when we're with our prep team, it's nothing compared to what happens when we are placed in the waiting room with the other Tributes as we wait to perform.<p>

I sit alone, watching as Snow takes a confused Ella to a pair of seats across the room. Watching them, I notice Kathryn from the corner of my eye and she waves. I wave back, but catch the ugliest glare I've ever seen on Snow's face.

"What happened last night?" Thomas takes a seat next to me.

"What do you mean?" I play the fool.

"Well, the second Ella and I entered the room Snow grabbed Ella by the arm and dragged her away from me, muttering something that damn liar Nolan. What happened last night? I thought you planned on telling her your feelings."

"I did _plan_ on telling her."

"You didn't tell her?"

"Worse. I lost her."

Thomas sighs, "Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure."

"If there was, I'd bottle it and sell it by the pint," I lay back against the wall.

The room is one large circle with two doors on opposite sides, one across from the other, one to enter, one to exit. Lined against the walls of the empty space are twelve chairs on each side leaving a total of twenty-four places. There's no assigned seating so we all sit wherever we want, but everyone is pretty much sitting with their allies.

Feeling anxious, I involuntarily perform what Snow had dubbed, my anxiety twitch, which was rubbing my chin. I smile as I feel the scar Snow had given me so many years ago on the day we met. It truly was amazing that we had only been twelve at the time and even more amazing to think that forgetting a simple coat would change my life forever.

* * *

><p><em>Father's complaints echoed through my head as I approached the farm, it wasn't so much that I had needed the coat now, but it was supposed to get really cold later that night.<em>

_I reached the door and went for the handle when I noticed it. The window was ever so slightly open. I noticed it because I remembered Father saying if I didn't secure it before I left, a thief could break in. It was closing this window and then being rushed by father that made me forget my coat in the first place._

_Pausing, I listened carefully. There was a faint rustling. _

_Someone was inside._

_Taking care to not make a sound, I opened the door, slipped inside and checked the house. When I did find the intruder, I was in my parent's bedroom. Rustling through their nightstand, the hooded figure was holding a sack of what appeared to be items from our house, next to the window which was wide open. He pulled out my mother's emerald engagement ring from the drawer, which she had left at home to finish drying from the cleaning solution she had used that morning._

"_Found something you like?" I asked the thief._

_He started and turned to face me, I was about to grab him when he threw the bag at me, sending me tumbling back. When I righted myself, the thief jumped out the window, ring firmly grasped in his light fingers. _

_I clenched my teeth; he was not going to get away!_

_I leapt onto the windowsill, but instead of jumping onto the ground, I pulled myself onto the roof and bolted across. Reaching the other end, I waited until the thief was right below me; he was looking around wildly, trying to locate me._

_Timing it perfectly, I leapt onto the thief and pinned him to the ground._

"_Show your face, you coward!" I rolled him over. My eyes went wide in shock, "You're a… girl."_

_The thief smiled at me, "Woman."_

_She grabbed a rock and smashed it against my jaw. I recoiled clutching my wound and the girl took off still holding my mother's ring._

_I didn't know it at the time but that wound would become my identifying scar and the one who gave it to me was a girl named Snow White who would become my best friend and one true love._

_But I did know one thing: I was going to see that girl again because I was going to get that ring back._

"_You can't hide from me! Wherever you are, I will find you!"_

* * *

><p>And find her I did.<p>

I hate doing this to Snow, but it's all part of my plan. The plan that Gold, Geppetto and Emma knew, the other one that Kathryn and Regina knew, and the third one that Thomas and Ella knew.

"Thomas?" I ask watching Snow and Ella.

"Yeah?" he answers.

"You're positive that both you and Ella know how to do it?"

"One hundred percent."

Yes I have a plan and the only one who knows the whole thing is me.

I remember what Gold had told me last night when I wanted to pull out from telling Snow that I wanted to be coached separately.

"_Don't doubt yourself now, dearie. Love makes us sick. Haunts our dreams. Destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease."_

It seemed almost like Gold had been speaking from personal experience.

But he was right, I have to stick to the plan, even if he doesn't know all of it.

I'm going to make sure that District Twelve is going to win the Games this year.

Even if it kills me.

* * *

><p>"Thomas Herman."<p>

When Thomas is called, there's no avoiding it anymore, I can't just sit there in silence when she's the only other one in the room.

"You nervous?" I ask.

She looks at me coldly, "No. Are you?"

"No," I lie; I'm terrified and not just of the Showcase.

She avoids my eye, "James?"

I look hopefully at her, "Yes?"

"This coaching separately thing, does that mean that the whole Underdog Alliance is over?"

I sigh, my plan has a very complicated answer to that question and if I told her yes it would be as devastating to my plan as saying no would be.

I choose not to answer her.

We sit in silence and I can't help but remember the last time Snow was this quiet. It had been after I tracked her down, caught her in a net and managed to drag her home to my family. To this day I'm not entirely certain _how_ I got her back to the house. Kicking and screaming for sure, but one thing was clear, Father was furious.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm getting the Peacekeepers!" Father headed for the door. "David, ready my horse!"<em>

"_David! George! Sit down!" Mother ordered. _

_Father glared at Mother, "Ruth, this girl has robbed us and assaulted our son. We can't just let her go!"_

"_Of course we can," Mother frowned. _

"_Well, yes we _can_, but we shouldn't!" Father corrected._

"_Look at her George," Mother turned to the thief who sat silently on a chair surrounded by we four Nolans. "She's can't be much younger than the boys."_

"_What's that have anything to do with the Peacekeepers?" Father snapped._

"_Think about it George, you think a girl this age would be breaking into houses if she didn't need help?" Mother asked._

"_You think that she needs assistance?" Father frowned in annoyance, if she needed help, he would be obligated to give it to her. _

_Mother nodded._

"_You! Girl!" Father barked. "What's your name?"_

_With a set jaw, the girl didn't meet any of our eyes, her glare fixed stubbornly on the floor._

"_What's your name?" Father repeated._

_The girl still said nothing._

"_How old are you?" Father tried but to no avail. "Why did you rob us?" _

_I sighed, hadn't I already told them that the only thing I got out of her was that she has one hell of a right hook?_

_Looking over to David, I was surprised to see he had on an expression that looked like a mix of confusion and an idea occurring._

"_What is it, David?" I asked altering Mother, Father, and the girl's attentions to him._

"_Mother?" David was hesitant, "She reminds me of something. I don't know what, but it's something to do with you."_

_Mother frowned, stood up, walked over to the strange, yet violent, girl, knelt next to her and lifted her chin. The girl instantly put her head back down, but Mother continued to watch her. The girl frowned and her eyes glanced up to my Mother's. After a moment the girl sighed, lifted her head and looked at my mother full on._

_The females stared at each other for a few minutes, both with expressions of recognition, yet unremembering of the connection that bound them._

_Suddenly Mother gasped and ran into my parents' bedroom._

"_Ruth?" Father frowned, watching after Mother as she disappeared into the room and emerged with a picture frame._

_Mother knelt beside the girl once more and showed the picture to the girl, "Do you recognize this woman?"_

_I peered at the picture, it was one of my mother when she was in her mid-teens and standing next to her was a girl about the same age who looked remarkably like the girl who had scarred me._

_The girl looked up with wide eyes, "Where did you get this?"_

"_It was given to me by my childhood best friend, the woman who is in the picture with me," Mother pointed to the strange woman. "At the time her name was Mary Margaret but she took her husband's name of White after marriage and became Mary White. Did you know her?"_

"_Mary White was my mother," the girl replied._

_Mother smiled, "George, it's okay, I know the girl's family and where they live."_

"_This is Mary's daughter?" Father asked eyeing the girl suspiciously. _

"_Yes," Mother nodded. "George, David, James, meet Snow White."_

* * *

><p>"Snow White."<p>

I'm snapped out of the memory when they call Snow for her turn.

She sighs, stands up and takes a look at me.

"Good luck," I smile weakly.

"You too," she has a hint of a sad smile, and then she heads into the room.

I smile, maybe things weren't totally ruined between us. We had this way of saying so much while using so little words. Mother joked that we could read each other's minds and it was true that on occasion we finished each other's sentences, but it was more than that. We could just tell what the other was feeling, no explainations were needed. We would just figure it out. However it only worked if the other wasn't focused on something else at the time. I think that Snow must have been trying to figure something out during these past couple of days; otherwise she would have been able to tell that I had a plan.

It suddenly occurs to me that there's some sort of irritant in my shoe. I remove it and stare in wonder at the pebble that had somehow found its way in. There wasn't really any place that had gravel, so I'm at a loss as to where it came from.

I shake my head and toss it across the room and find that I'm reminded of yet another memory. Seriously, did Gold slip something into my breakfast this morning?

* * *

><p><em>I stood on a riverbank, dressed all in black as I picked up another stone and skipped it across the water. No thought was going through my mind; I barely even registered my actions. I was just numb. <em>

"_Are you okay?" I turned to see Snow, also dressed in black, standing at the edge of the forest. _

"_What do you think?" I picked up another stone and glanced to my right where a tree stands that we had not too long ago eaten blackberries under and entertained the notion of running off into the forest together._

_She came up beside me and grabbed a stone of her own._

"_How's the party going?" I asked as she skipped her stone._

"_You mean the wake?" Snow corrected. "Funny thing, being called a wake, maybe it has to do with the idea that the deceased is 'sleeping'."_

_I sighed as I watched our stones glide across the water, "How's Mother?"_

"_She needs you. It's bad enough that she had to bury her son, but now to bury her husband only a few months later-"_

"_Is that why she sent you after me?"_

"_I came after you myself."_

"_Why?"_

_She looked at me, "You know why."_

_We stared at each other and for a second I thought she might finally tell me what I so desperately wanted to hear, that she shares my feelings and wants to be more than friends._

_But that moment doesn't come. It never has._

"_I'm sorry about your father," She skips another stone._

"_I'm not," I confess._

"_I know."_

_The silence of nature goes plays around us for a long time, broken by the occasional stone against the water. We don't speak a word, the silence said everything._

"_Remember skipping rocks when we were younger?" Snow asked. _

"_Sneaking off because Father said it was too dangerous because we might fall in-"_

"_And your mother telling him to loosen up," _

"_You did fall in though," I pointed out._

"_Only because you pushed me!"_

"_I still remember the sight of you thrashing in the stream, crying out _I will have my revenge_, though you never did."_

_Snow shrugged, "I still might."_

"_Sure you will," I rolled my eyes._

"_Never say never."_

"_Oh please! When are you ever-"_

_I was taken completely off guard when she suddenly tackled me and shoved me into the riverbank._

"_Oh, it's on!" I chased her across the riverbed as we laughed. _

_I caught her around the waist and we fell back into the river. We splashed and played in the water for quite some time, neither of us really wanted to go back to the wake. When we ran out of energy we collapsed on the rocky bank, lying side by side._

"_Snow?" I looked over to her, we were both panting._

"_Yeah?" she smiled._

"_Promise me," I frowned solemnly, "promise me that you won't leave me like James and Father did."_

_She blinked as the seriousness of my request washed over her, "James, I promise that if I can help, I will never leave you."_

_I laid a hand over hers, "Nor I, you."_

* * *

><p>"James Nolan."<p>

I look up.

It's my turn.

* * *

><p>"You shot the Gamemakers?" I exclaim at Snow.<p>

"Shot _at_," she corrects as they clear away the dinner plates. "I hit the apple in the roast pig's mouth instead."

"Well that explains some things about my showcase," I mutter. "I knew I should have been the one doing archery."

"We're done for," Graham groans.

"Not yet," Gold enters the room as he straightens out his sleeves; he's wearing a fancy outfit, including yellow tunic with puffy sleeves and a red vest. "The feistiness might work in your favour, besides they should have been paying attention, it's their job to."

Emma frowns at the Victor, "Are you going somewhere?"

"There's a little get-together the Capitol throws for the former Victors and their families every year on the night of the scoring. It's a little reunion, of sorts, for us," Gold explains. Suddenly he looks up at us. Except for Graham, we're all frowning, "What?"

"We just didn't picture you as a sociable type," Snow replies.

"Oh, he isn't," Graham responds, "he only goes there to see one person."

Gold gives the escort the dirtiest look I've ever seen, "I'll mind you not to interfere in my personal life."

"Oh please, this is the only time of the year that you have a personal life," Graham rolls his eyes.

Gold doesn't respond to Graham's comment, "I'll just watch the scoring with you and then I'll be off. Though I must warn you, one of you must have gotten a better score than the District Two boy or tonight won't be very enjoyable for me."

We all settle in to watch the scoring and I notice that Snow seems to have relaxed her hatred of me. It seems like our simple exchange before her test had changed things. They aren't perfect, but they've changed.

There's a brief recap of the reapings, particularly the notable people and some feedback from Doc, Raul and Paul but eventually they get on this the scoring in the order of District and boys first then girls. The headshot of the Tribute is shown with their name, District and their score underneath.

The first name comes up as Doctrine "Doctor" Whale.

"Looks like they decided to go with the nickname," Emma rose a brow.

"It's easier than fighting it," Graham replies.

"Would you two shut up?" Gold seems to be a little on edge tonight, especially towards Graham. I wonder what's got him so wound up.

The score appears on the screen.

* * *

><p><span>Doctrine "Doctor" Whale<span>

_District One_

8 Points

* * *

><p>"Typical Career score," Gold smirks, he seems giddy, like it's a failure on the part of District One's Male Mentor.<p>

Next is Kathryn's score, she seemed to do so badly throughout the training, I can't help but wonder what she'll get.

* * *

><p><span>Kathryn Abigail<span>

_District One_

9 Points

* * *

><p>"NINE POINTS?" Snow exclaims. "HOW IN THE HELL DID THAT SPOILED LITTLE WHORING <em>BITCH<em> GET NINE POINTS? WHAT'D SHE DO? FLASH THEM?"

Snow was right; I have no clue how Kathryn could possibly be that good. Now I'm not sure who's more likely to kill me when they discover my plan, Snow or Kathryn.

"NO, I WILL NOT SIT DOWN, YOU CHILD SETTING ON FIRE, SIGN WRECKING, ALMOST SHERIFF!"

I'm going to have to go with Snow.

"You were almost a Sheriff?" Graham asks Emma.

"Yeah," Emma yanks Snow back down to her seat. "But I didn't take the job."

Graham frowns, "Why not?"

Emma shifts uncomfortably, "I don't want to talk about it."

"You!" Gold snaps. "Zip it, I _need _to hear the District Two boy's score. I'm not about to let that egocentric_ barge_ flaunt his Tribute over mine again this year!"

* * *

><p><span>Archard Bannen<span>

_District Two_

8 Points

* * *

><p>Gold looks over at Snow and I, his eyes run over us as if sizing us up and then begins muttering some calculations.<p>

"I think… Yes." Gold nods. "At least one of you should have beaten that score."

"Otherwise goodbye sponsors," Graham whispers to Snow and she laughs.

A flash of heat courses through my body. It's jealousy. Not the kind that had Snow standing on her chair screaming profanities at Emma, type jealousy, but the fact that now Graham and Emma seem to be taking my place as Snow's best friends. Snow and I seem to be the furthest from best friends right now, and she's made so many new friends.

I wonder if I'm even in the top ten anymore.

Mother was right, the Arena changes people, it had changed us, and we hadn't even entered it yet.

I blankly watch the names appear only taking interest in a few, like Regina's, which surprises no one.

* * *

><p><span>Regina Mills<span>

_District Two_

10 Points

* * *

><p>"He might have you on that one Gold," Graham points out.<p>

Gold shakes his head, "That boar had nothing to do with the girl's training."

* * *

><p><span>Jiminy Cricket<span>

_District Three_

5 Points

* * *

><p><span>Leroy Grumps<span>

_District Four_

7 Points

* * *

><p><span>Astrid Nova<span>

_District Four_

7 Points

* * *

><p><span>Billy Woodsman<span>

_District Five_

3 Points

* * *

><p>"Probably made a fire," Snow mutters.<p>

* * *

><p><span>Ruby Riding<span>

_District Five_

7 Points

* * *

><p>"I'd keep my eye on that one," Gold advises.<p>

* * *

><p><span>Sleepy Shuteye<span>

_District Nine_

5 Points

* * *

><p><span>Sneezy Dwarfson<span>

_District Ten_

8 Points

* * *

><p>Then a name that I'm actually interested in appears on the screen.<p>

* * *

><p><span>Thomas Herman<span>

* * *

><p>I gulp, last year Alexandra got a four, it was quite literally entirely my brother's doing that Alexandra got third place. Thomas seems to be quite skilled, but how skilled?<p>

* * *

><p><span>Thomas Herman<span>

_District Eleven_

8 Points

* * *

><p>Eight? Suddenly I'm worried about what would happen if it got down to the two of us.<p>

Next it's Ella's turn and I fully expect that she'll be another Alexandra. My guess would be that she got a four, maybe, just maybe, a five.

* * *

><p><span>Ella Boyd<span>

_District Eleven_

7 Points

* * *

><p>Seven? Now I'm really worried.<p>

"Here we go, James is next," Emma says.

Geppetto clasps me on the back, "You'll do wonderfully."

* * *

><p><span>James Nolan<span>

_District Twelve_

9 Points

* * *

><p>Nine points? <em>Nine?<em> Well I always knew that my fencing was rather good, but a _nine_? I'm better than I thought.

Gold is beaming as he claps me on the back, "Congratulations boy! You just made my evening. I can gloat all night to that District Two _brute_ about how much better _my_ tribute is."

I look over at Snow, she looks so nervous.

"They'll give me a one. A big fat one to ensure I don't get any sponsors at all," Snow frowns.

"I'm sure they'll give you at least a three," Graham says.

"I'm doomed," Snow groans.

Emma places a hand over Snow's, the raven headed girl looks up and meets her eyes. After a while Snow weakly smiles and Emma nods.

"Here we go," Emma says.

* * *

><p><span>Snow White<span>

_District Twelve_

11 Points

* * *

><p>Our jaws hit the floor.<p>

"Eleven!" I'm not sure who exclaims, I think it was Emma and Graham, but might have been all of us.

Suddenly, I see a sight that is so strange and absurd, that I never could even have conceived it.

Gold is hugging Snow.

"You did it! You did it!" He lifts her off the ground. "They always say that District Twelve is a throwaway! But this year! This is Rumple's year!"

He sets Snow down, and she looks horrified, "I don't know if I should feel honored or violated."

Rumplestiltskin then takes turns entrapping us in hugs. _All_ of us. Me. Emma. Graham. Geppetto. Even some poor attendant who came to clear the last few dishes away.

Releasing Graham, Rumplestiltskin has a skip in his step as he makes his way to the lift.

"Finally! For _once_, something is going right!" He laughs. "Just keeps to your Kathryn plan, James, and we'll be just fine!"

Gold pauses at vase of red roses, he grins, plucks one from the jar, winks at Graham and disappears in the lift.

I frown, "Happy Rumplestiltskin scares me."

"He scares us all," Graham has the same horrified look as I do.

"_What_ Kathryn plan?"

I turn to face the speaker. Snow does _not_ look happy.

"Snow," I frown.

"_What_ Kathryn plan?" She seethes.

I look at Graham and the stylists, "You see, Kathryn offered me a spot on the Career team and I-"

"I knew it," She advances on me. "I knew it!"

"Now, Snow," I walk backwards, away from Snow's steps, "calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down!" She screams. "How can I calm down? You betrayed me! You've betrayed all of us! Thomas! Ella! Your mother-"

"Hey! I have done _nothing_ of the sort!"

"Oh, don't give me that! I've seen the two of you! She's all over you, and you take it like you have no pride!"

"Snow, you have to listen to me-"

"No! I'm done listening to you!" Snow shoves me. "You only ever make things _worse_! You messed up my deal with the trolls! You worried Henry, instead of looking out for him-"

That makes me snap, "Oh, well, I'm sorry if I couldn't meet your standards of looking after Henry! I mean, it's not like I _volunteered his spot in the Hunger Games_ or anything!"

"Oh, don't throw that!"

"Then don't throw the trolls in!"

"Oh, I'll damn well throw _anything_ in!"

"You're being ridiculous! I thought that after five years of friendship you'd be honest with me!"

"And _you've_ always been honest about everything?" She counters.

I frown, what was that supposed to mean? Wait a second.

"Oh, Gods," I whisper, she's finally figured it out. Why _now_ of all times? This could ruin everything.

"You know what?" Snow's voice is cold and threatening like the edge of a knife, "You and Kathryn deserve each other! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds _not_ be ever in your favor! _David_!"

With that last cutting remark, she storms out of the room. Graham follows shortly, no doubt to comfort her, comfort her like I used to once upon a time.

"She knows," I turn to look at Geppetto and Emma.

Emma sighs, "I think she knows how she feels, but not how you do."

I ran a hand through my hair, "What do I do?"

"Continue with your plan, whatever that may be," Emma replies.

I sigh and look at Geppetto, "Should I?"

He has a sad slight smile, "She'll understand."

"Will she?" I ask.

"James, I can't tell you if she'll understand or forgive you, but I do know one thing." Emma crosses her arms over her stomach, "If it's meant to be, somehow, someway, one day, it _will_ happen. But if it's not meant to be, no matter how many tears you cry or hard you try, that love will go anyway, and you'll never get it back. Love is precious, especially the love of one person for another, and if you lose them, a part of you will never be whole again. Trust me, I know."

I feel like there's something behind Emma's words, and in any other situation I would push to hear the story.

But all I can do is look at the door where Snow and Graham left, and think how the only end to this tragic love story was at least one of us returning home in a pine box.

But if I could help it, it wouldn't be Snow in that box.

"Alright, for Snow."

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p>

**Next Chapter: **Roses, a plan gone wrong, and Belle's dirty little secret.


End file.
